Who's in town....and who's coming....

The following groups are planning to be in Pearlington, weaving their magic and helping to restore the faith of the townsfolk, in the next little while. It is a partial list and I would like very much to hear of any groups not yet included and if that group needs any information, connections, resources etc. that another group might be able to furnish.

C.O.D.R.A.’s mission statement is simple:

“Where Resource meets Need; helping those to help themselves.”

• Jennifer Johnson and her group from Huntsville, AL is already in town, with a plan to work on six houses;
• The Dog Soldiers return once again today, with a team of six under the leadership of Quentin Holden;
• folks from the Town of Carbondale, CO are still fully vested in Pearlington's recovery and Tom Dalessandri is back home making preparations for 50 students from his area to come to Pearlington the week of March 4. Included in this team will be the Police Chief and Asst. Fire Chief and various construction types; one of their dreams is to restore the cemetery and will need a bit of heavy equipment to level the area and life some of the tombs back into place; if you can offer assistance with this, please contact me and I will make the connection;
• Jim and Susie Merritt are leaving Beaufort, SC on Tuesday the 21st and will arrive the next day; their group of six will be there by Friday next week and stay for a few days working on Susie Sharp’s house and the Baptist Church; Jim and I are discussing some exciting things and I will keep you posted;
• John Olsakovsky, a former Red Cross shelter Director in Pearlington, is currently in town; he has brought with him 200 new children’s books, teddy bears and shoes and is researching Holly’s Library
• the Union Church of Hinsdale, IL (United Church of Christ) will be returning to Pearlington the first week of March, with 25 young people and six adults under the supervision of Youth Director David Knecht and Mission Minister Dr. Thom Parrott-Sheffer; Senior Minister of this church is Rev. Verlee A. Copeland, who was instrumental - with Moe Grzelakowski - in providing many of the trailer starter kits as Loving Neighbours.

A note from Bob Britt concerning volunteer housing:

“I visited I Care Village at Morrell Center in Waveland Beach when I was there a few weeks ago. They have a permanent food tent, indoor toilets, washers and dryers, etc. Their food tent is large and the manager told me they are expanding from 120 beds to 600 beds in a few months. I know it is a ways from Pearlington but if the Charles Murphy school situation does not work out food, shower, or toilet wise this could be considered an option. A volunteer who stayed there for a week told me they were charged $120. per week to stay there. Contact information for Morrell Center is:
Manager - Rose: 615-579-1656, also Renee: 228-424-8485, also Steve: 228-313-3338"

If any of you are working with residents over the age of 50 years, I would like to pass on some valuable information that may assist them in getting all kinds of different help from the American Association of Retired People (AARP). Here are some contact names and numbers that can be investigated to see what might be offered. If someone does follow that through, please let me know the details and I will post them:

Frankie Munoz: 601-206-1844
Marian Donaldson: 617-964-1910
Amanda Jones (MS Bar Assoc.): 601-940-3202
Donna Jackson - Special Needs (FEMA): 601-695-2817
Dept. of Aging: 228-868-2326 or 1-800-948-3090

While I was in Pearlington, the Army Corps was busy picking up debris, particularly along Hwy. 90. A recent edition of the Hancock County Recovery Update urges citizens to do so and to call 228-255-1427 to have debris removed from the public Right of Way.

More to come on Holly’s Library....