Lending a Hand In Hurricane’s Aftermath

September 6, 2005, In August 1969, I was in Jackson, Mississippi, with three friends at a college meeting when we learned of the destruction caused by Hurricane Camille.

My friends – Doug Young, now a Murfreesboro City Councilman; Jim Caperton, now a Bedford County banker; and Sammy Sells, now a Shelbyville doctor – and I volunteered to help National Guard troops provide relief on the devastated Mississippi coast.

We volunteered because we wanted to help and we also expected an adventure. As we rode to the coast in the back of a National Guard truck, we saw lines of traffic moving in the opposite direction as residents fled the area. When we arrived in Pass Christian, Mississippi, we quickly realized that the region was in a state of dire emergency.

I was unprepared for the sight before me. I had seen tornado damage before and expected to see splintered buildings along the coast. But Camille did not leave buildings in ruins; instead, it looked as though buildings had never stood on the coast. The storm surge had washed away entire properties as the water receded to the Gulf of Mexico.

We were dropped off and given the job of distributing food and water to Camille’s survivors. I was impacted immediately by the grief of those who had lost everything, including loved ones.

Our next job was sorting boxes of clothing for distribution. As people came to pick up a fresh shirt or shoes, I realized the clothes these people were wearing were literally the only possessions they had.

Now, as Hurricane Katrina has ravaged the Gulf Coast once more, I am reminded of the dramatic impact that can be made through donations of clothing, supplies and money.

In our communities, there has been an outpouring of support in the aftermath of the hurricane. Many of our neighbors have opened their homes to families and friends who have lost everything. Our schools have opened their classrooms to students whose schools and communities no longer exist. Countless churches, schools and charitable organizations across the state are collecting donations.

For a list of organizations providing relief to Hurricane Katrina’s victims, click here. Or go directly to the federal government’s comprehensive site at www.firstgov.gov for more information on finding loved ones or making donations to relief efforts.

Tennessee is known as the Volunteer State for good reason. During this national emergency, I have no doubt that Tennesseans will volunteer to lend a hand to those who need it most.