Message from a Katrina survivor - please help if you can

Greetings y'all. On another quilting group to which I belong, there is a woman who lives in the town of Franklinton, just one hour north of NOLA. We had not been able to get in contact with her until today, when she sent a post to the list. I wrote her immediately asking if we could send things directly to her, so that she wouldn't have to go stand in line at the red cross every day. (They're living on MREs) What follows here is her first note to the quilting group, and then her response to my inquiry. I don't want to post her address out here for the trolls, so if you are willing to send this woman a Care package, please send ME an email at snipped-for-privacy@NOSPAMliving-tree.net (remove the obvious) and I will pass along to you. Thanks in advance for your caring.

----------------------------------------- Original message from Courtney:

>I just got my internet back up and have surfed through over 700messages. >>Many well wishes, thank you. What a nightmare we have been through and >>are still going through! I guess the most important thing to tell you is >>that we survived! Our neighborhood had at least 6 tornados and is just >>devistated. In my mother's neighborhood, there were 3 houses out of about >>34 that >> didn't have trees on them and theirs was one of them! What luck. I have >> minor water damage and now mold because of it but I feel very lucky. >> Franklinton has a website
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we are still in dire >> need here. Everyday I go and wait in the red cross line for toiletries, >> food, MRE's and water. I never thought >> it would come to that. I have some awesome digital video I will send >> soon, as we were here through the whole thing. I saw trees falling all >> around me but we stayed remarkably calm, moreso than now I think. We >> started receiving mail yesterday. I still don't have a phone but my cell >> works occasionally--. I get TV on occasion and have had >> electricity since last Wed. I am one of the lucky ones! The water is >> poisoned but we can bathe in it. Bottled water is in good supply through >> red cross--we are getting tired of MRE's I can assure you! I still cry >> every day though for all the >> people who aren't so lucky. This has been so terrible, beyond words. >> PLease continue to think about us and say a prayer, I know things are >> getting better, slowly. >> With grattitude, >> Courtney

-------------------------------- Courtney's response to my question about sending her stuff directly:

PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am a nurse in a nursing home in Covington, LA. We employ 150 people. Only 20 are nurses and the rest CNA's, housekeeping, laundry, etc. These are poor people but dedicated people who have given up evacuations with their families in order to stay with our old people and take care of them. We had 2 large pine trees fall into the nursing home and, although close, none of the residents were injured -- a true miracle. Please post this message to the list and send any and all relief items to me. I will take them to the nursing home and give them out to the MANY needy people, including our residents. Covington is on the "Northshore" which is on the other side of Lake Ponchartrain and was hit HARD. We have so many families still living at the nursing home because they don't have power at their homes. Our nursing home has taken them in with their families and their PETS!!!! The things they need are mostly personal hygiene items, snacks, kool aid or powdered type drink mixes to mix in the gallons of water that we are drinking, paper plates, cups, etc. -- and of course money. Here is just one of our stories: Our maintenance supervisor had a mobile home, barn, work shop, play house, etc. on a beautiful river near Slidell, LA. He had lost a job 11 years ago and his homeowners insurance was cancelled because he couldn't pay it. When he got a job 4 months later, his insurance company wouldn't pick him back up, nor would anyone else. Now, the storm came and he lost EVERYTHING. His wife and 5 kids are staying with church members while he lives and works at the nursing home. Again, this is just one story. We are all eating MRE's which aren't terrible, but what we wouldn't give for a candy bar!!! Thank you all in advance for whatever you can do. Please tell your guilds, your churches, your friends, etc. Anything you can do will go to a good cause. My address is: >

Again, if you can help, email me and I will give you her address. THanks. :)