From: Stocks, John
Date: Sun, 11 Sep 2005 15:48:54 +0000
Subject: HURRICANE KATRINA – South to Evangeline – It tried to wash you away

It has been two days since my last report.

Aaron Neville sings a song about the historic flood of New Orleans. It has become the theme song for this tragedy.

South out of Jackson across the Louisiana border. Lovebugs cloud the windshield. Wind damage from the storm is everywhere. A steady flow of trucks hauling generators, piping, welding equipment, water, fuel, and all types of heavy equipment. Now FEMA trucks are hauling fifth wheels and camper trailers for temporary housing.

Adam calls on the road and tells me to head to his in-laws in Zachary, north of Baton Rouge. We will head to Slidell the next day.

EAST FELICIANA PARISH

West to Clinton, Louisiana, a trip back in time to the deep south. The stately courthouse reminds me of the movie, The Diary of Miss Jane Pittman. The little towns are crowded with evacuees from New Orleans. No television crews here. The story of the impact on rural communities will largely go untold.

EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH

Slight damage in Zachary compared to points east. Arrive at Adam’s in-laws. Warm welcome. Father retired teacher. Mother still works in law enforcement. Lots of teachers in this family. A sister-in-law stops by to visit. She teaches at Zachary High School across the street. 100 evacuee students from New Orleans  enrolled in this rural  high school. The teachers and education support professionals in these schools are seeing the human impact first hand. A story not likely to be told unless we tell it.

Roll my sleeping bag out after dinner and crash. Tomorrow we head to Slidell, ground zero.

ST TAMMANY PARISH

SLIDELL – Ground Zero

The children stay back with their grandparents. Two hours in heavy traffic across I-12 to Slidell. I-10 is closed so all the west-east traffic is going north of Lake Ponchatrain. The devastation multiples as we head east. Military helicopters constantly overhead headed to New Orleans.

We arrive in the city where the eye of the storm passed over. Shops are destroyed. Electricity coming back slowly. The people we encounter are stunned. You can see the pain from the trauma in their eyes. Dazed and despairing, they await to hear about colleagues,friends and family. They gather their faculties to deal with their homes and businesses. Slidell got the brunt of the eye wall winds and a flood surge from the Lake Ponchatrain.

We pull into Adam’s sub division. The insides of homes are piled on the lawns. A few portable generators whine in the distance. It is time to unload the trailer and get to work.

Pulling sheetrock all day is a miserable job in 95 degree heat with high humidity. Need to get the house dried out before the mold and mildew take over and ruin it.

Adam and Becky are resourceful and determined. They are arranging for insurance adjusters, roofers, contractors, etc. Becky arranges for FEMA to tarp the roof. Got to be done before the next rain.

Neighbors lend each other equipment. Warn each other of the price gougers and con-artists. People commiserate together.

We sweep up the debris, set up the blower fans and fire up the generator to run all night. We finish the day @ 8:30 pm. Load up and drive the two hours back to Zachary. Shower off the dust and grime, lay down and crash. Tomorrow we are back at it.

The generator, fans  and dehumidifier will probably prevent any mold problem. Pray we don’t get another storm. It’s the beginning of the hurricane season.

From: Stocks, John
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2005 10:57:54 +0000
Subject: HURRICANE KATRINA – North to Jackson

It is early in the morning on Thursday.

SLIDELL – Electricity Restored Prompts Celebration

We take for granted the importance of electricity to our daily lives. What it does for us, how much it costs and how it is produced. Working with electricity produced by a portable generator has its limitations. Without the generator we purchased in Wisconsin and hauled down to Louisiana, we might not have beaten the mold.

Itinerate Roofing Crews

The US Corps of Engineers provides a valuable service to people with damaged roofs. They install blue tarps over the damaged areas for free.

Yesterday three itinerate roofing crews showed up in the neighborhood. One crew was black out of northern Mississippi, one crew hispanic out of Texas and the other crew was white out of northern Louisiana. Each crew working in the boiling sun on our roof and others in the neighborhood.  I was struck how these crews were segregated by race but not by class. I wondered if there was a Cesar Chavez, Dr. Martin Luther King or a Mother Jones in their midst who could cross the barriers of race and ethnicity and lead them around their common economic self interests. Maybe someday.

I brought them cold water from our ice chest. They finished their jobs and moved on.

Falling Hazard Trees

Fell two pine trees with broken and dangling  limbs in the backyard. First tree fell perfectly between the neighbors fence and the house. Bucked it up and hauled it away.

Cut the second tree. It was a perfect notch and the hinge wood on the back cut was going to lay it down in the target zone.

Just my luck and stupidity. I hung it up in a neighbors pine. A fallers worst nightmare. They don’t call them ‘widow makers’ for nothin. Got the truck…Becky bought a tow strap and we jerked it out of the neighbor’s tree. Bucked it up and there it lay. I think I will keep my day job.

NORTH TO JACKSON

After packing up the drying equipment, I will leave for Jackson, MS., the Comfort Inn and the long road home. Adam and Becky are in better shape. They can manage the chaos now.

It is time to refocus my attention on the Ewell’s and their impending decision about where to relocate. Lois and I have discussed it briefly but I need to be a sounding board for her and the family as they process their options.

Last night New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said on Larry King Live that he would  announce a phased in repopulation plan for the city tomorrow. I pray it doesn’t raise false hopes. These people have gone through enough.

RELIEF FUND CONTRIBUTORS AND PEOPLE SENDING PACKAGES

First, a big thank you to all who have contributed and will contribute to the relief fund. The bulk of the remaining funds and additional funds contributed will probably be used for the costs of relocating the Ewell families. More on that later.

Also thanks to the many people around the country who have sent packages to the Ewell’s at the Comfort Inn.

THANKS TO THE NEA

My deepest appreciation to Reg Weaver, John Wilson and others at the NEA for allowing me to take this time to assist my family. I am truly blessed to work with such kind and caring people.

BIGGEST FEAR

My biggest fear is that as soon as Hurricane Katrina ‘comes off the front page’ the families of New Orleans will fall victim to America’s 24 hour new cycle and short attention span. Witness the Iraq War. Please help us make sure that this doesn’t happen.

From: Stocks, John
Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2005 23:27:11 +0000
Subject: HURRICANE KATRINA – The Long Road Home

JACKSON – Thursday night

We gathered in Lois’ room to open up packages that are arriving from all over the country. The children wait restlessly in anticipation of the contents.

The parents and grandparents hope for clothes to supplement the three day supply they brought from New Orleans. The children wish for toys, dolls, books and crayons. It is all a bit overwhelming because they know their stay at the Comfort Inn will be ending soon.

Tomorrow, Stacy’s three girls will leave with their father for Tennessee. Another temporary home, another family and a new school to navigate in a strange community.

The grandmothers are worn out, anxious and troubled about the family splitting up. They dread the girls’ departure tomorrow. It weighs heavy on their spirit.

After showing the children how to make and throw paper airplanes in the motel lobby, the girls attempt to braid my hair again.

Stacy, Jerald, Courtney and I gather up the four children to take them out to dinner and give Lois and Elouise some time to rest.

Off to Shoney’s for the dinner buffet of ribs and chicken. The waitress is compassionate and very attentive. She inquired right away if we were in Jackson because of the hurricane.

One of the girls leans over and whispers in my ear that she is scared to leave her mother tomorrow. I do my best to hold back the tears and reassure her that it will be alright. I yearn deep inside for a different outcome.

Goodbye ‘Uncle Johno’

Back to motel to say my goodbyes. The children give me long hugs. I toss Vichaun over the bed and tuck him in. They ask ‘When will we see you again Uncle Johno?’  Tears streaming down my face, not knowing for sure, I tell them ‘soon’.

FRIDAY – Diamonds on my windshield…I’m driving a steel train in the rain.

Gas up the night before. Up and out before the sun. Storm clouds gather to the north as the sun rises. Large drops of rain hit the windshield intermittently. I am reminded of a verse in a Tom Waits’ song I heard many years ago, ‘Diamonds on my windshield, I’m driving a steel train in the rain. This truck and trailer feel like a steel train. The torrents follow.

Clouds break over Tennessee. With lots of time inside my mind, I am haunted by the uncertainties the Ewell adults and children face. The split up has begun across three states. If you add in Debbie Ann and Henrietta, it’s four states. I can hardly bear it.

Safe at Anchor

Sixteen hours of straight driving through Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin, Only stopping for gas and repairs to the lights on the trailer. I call family, friends and colleagues to stay awake. I finally pull into my driveway a little after 10pm. I am physically and emotionally spent. As I think about my journey and the challenges ahead for my family, another verse captures my tired imagination.

‘ Riding out the storm like a ship safe at anchor
Waiting out the long voyage around the cape of hope will take her….’
~Kate Wolf, folk singer/songwriter

From: Stocks, John
Date: Tue, 4 Oct 2005 22:43:55 +0000
Subject: FW: HURRICANE KATRINA – People Like You

Some of you may have already received this, but others have asked me to send it.

The displacement of a family from a city that has been their home for generations and the splitting up of that same family to unfamiliar cities across the southeastern United States is emotionally devastating. Hurricane Katrina and our governments’ inadequate response to this tragedy have ripped apart the fabric of a family whose only desire is to return to what is familiar.

JACKSON

Lois, Elouise, Courtney and Vauchan are still in the Comfort Inn in Jackson. Hurricane Rita postponed their plans to move back to Louisiana. Lois is determined to find a job in Louisiana that will afford her the opportunity to work 1 year and five months more within the state teacher retirement system so she does not lose her eligibility. This weighs heavy on her mind. Once they settle on where to relocate, we will assist with their relocation expenses and pursuit of employment.

FEMA denied Elouise’s claim for the $2000 cash grant that is being given to families displaced by Katrina. Despite the fact that her home was completely under water and she lost her car, the agency concluded that she had no damage. After days and days of trying to straighten this out over the phone, Elouise grew frustrated .This bureaucratic incompetence prompted Elouise to take action. She contacted a reporter from a local Jackson television station and told her story. The story aired on the evening news. Last I heard, this action got FEMA’s attention and they were promising to correct the mistake.

DALLAS

Stacy and Jerald have relocated to Dallas with their New Orleans based company Pan American Life. In the midst of their relocation, Jerald’s grandmother died. He traveled to Virginia for the services. Stacy has temporary housing, She deeply misses her children.

Stacy’s children, Eboni, Brea and Kasey are living in the Memphis area with their father. They have started school. I will forward their address in the next couple of days.

ATLANTA

Henrietta, Debbie Ann, Gerard, Steve, Paula, Mark, Doris, Samantha, and Broderick are still living in a Comfort Inn near Atlanta. Gerard has found a job at a barber shop. Debbie Ann, an Orleans Parish second grade teacher for 22 years, is looking for work in the Cobb County school district. Our relief effort has provided them with funds to begin to furnish the house.

NEW ORLEANS

Steve and Mark traveled this weekend to New Orleans. They figured out a way to get into the city to survey the damage in the families’ neighborhood. They confirmed what everyone has suspected…their homes and the cars that were left behind are a total loss. Now begins the struggle with the insurance companies. It is hard to know your policy number, method of payment, coverage, etc. when all of your records were left in your home, possibly destroyed and you can’t get access to the city. The days ahead will be frustrating for all of the families as they try to ascertain what losses will be covered.

MCFARLAND, WISCONSIN

My father called last night. He and his wife are hoping to return to New Orleans by the end of October to restart their lives.

SLIDELL, LOUISIANA

My brother Adam has been offered a job in the Greenville, South Carolina area. He is contemplating a move. Reconstruction of his house is slow.

PEOPLE LIKE YOU

As a young community organizer in the early 1980’s I became acquainted with singer/songwriter Si Kahn. His songs and music have had a profound impact on me over the years. The outpouring of support from my family, friends and colleagues has reminded me of his song “People Like You”. I will never forget what all of you have done.

People like you help people like me go on…go on…go on ~Si Kahn

From: Stocks, John
Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2005 02:10:35 +0000
Subject: HURRICANE KATRINA – A Plea for Help for the Forgotten

The holiday season is upon us. Pageants, parties and gift giving.

Regardless of our religious beliefs or practice, the end of the year provides all of us with a short respite from the chaotic pace many of us maintain throughout the year.

October was the last time I reported on the victims of Hurricane Katrina in my family.. Recent conversations have revealed that this time of year is particularly hard on them.

My father and his wife returned to New Orleans to start over. Neither of them have returned to full-time work. My father underwent surgery and is recovering slowly. He has not had time to focus on rebuilding his practice. He is 76 and this experience has accelerated his aging. Tiina, his wife, is shouldering the burden of taking care of him during his recovery and their recovery from Katrina.

Henrietta, Debbie Ann, Doris, Steve, Paula, Gerrard, Broderick and Samantha  have relocated to the Atlanta area. I visited them recently accompanied by a dear friend and colleague. It was a joyous reunion.

They are all living in a nice home trying to find  employment in the Cobb County area. Samantha and Broderick have enrolled in the local high school.  They have shelter, some basic furnishings and themselves. Surprisingly they feel blessed despite their circumstances.

My brother Adam, his wife Becky and their two children (Jessica and Courtney) are still living with Adam’s mother. They have been working feverously to repair their flood damaged home. It appears that they won’t be able to move back in until after the holidays.

Stacey and her children, Eboni, Brea and Kasey have recently moved back to the New Orleans area. The children are living with their father who has returned to work near the city. Stacey is sharing a small apartment with a colleague until she can find an affordable place that is near her mother, Elouise, and large enough for her and the children.

Courtney and little Vauchan are still in Jackson, Mississippi. They have moved into a small apartment, enrolled Vauchan in school and Courtney is looking for work. They hope to visit Lois (Courtney’s mom) over the holidays. They will probably have to take a bus to Thibodeaux. Courtney does not have a car.

Elouise and Lois have moved from Belle Rose, where they were sharing a bedroom in a cousins home, to Thibodeaux, Louisiana where they have rented a small apartment. Like their sisters in Atlanta, the future is uncertain in a new community. Lois is still without work despite being a highly qualified teacher and education administrator in the Orleans Parish School District. Her biggest worry is that her health insurance is going to be terminated in January. She is 59 and very frightened about that prospect.

Some of you have asked me about my connection to the Ewell family. Lucinda (mother of Henrietta, Elouise, Lois and Debbie Ann) was a housekeeper who came to work for our family in 1956, six months before I was born and walked me out the door the day I left home for college. She was my mother, my guardian, my rock of stability. She taught me my manners, my values, my yearning for justice. She taught me about race and class in the Old South. She never let me stray from the path of education. Ignorance was unacceptable.

REQUEST FOR MORE ASSISTANCE

I have hesitated to ask you for more assistance but the enormity of the challenges these families face are beyond what any one person can handle.

Your substantial donations (@$40,000) to this relief effort to date have helped to repair, secure and furnish places to live for these families displaced from their homes in New Orleans. We thank you for what you have done already to stabilize their lives. Some have lost everything.

These families still need our help and I want us to brighten their lives during the holidays. So I am asking you,  my friends, colleagues and family, to email me a pledge of financial assistance. Thank you.