West Texas Town to Host Hundreds of Katrina Refugees
Thanks to my crack team of remote reporters (aka as "Mom"), I've just learned that my hometown of Fort Stockton will soon be getting 300-500 people who have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina. According to the report, these folks will be housed in a couple of elementary schools which are no longer in use, and at First Baptist Church of Fort Stockton, which has a large Family Life Center.
An email is circulating throughout the community advising folks of the types of donations that would be most helpful. The list includes bottled water, snack foods, personal hygiene items, sunscreen, cleaning supplies, plastic tableware and cups, and small items for children such as crayons, coloring books and stuffed toys. If you happen to be heading down to Fort Stockton, those items may be dropped off at the church (located at 400 N. Texas St.).
I'm not sure how this interesting turn of events has come to pass, but I can't help smiling a bit at the culture shock those Gulf Coast folks are bound to feel when they alight some 800 or 900 miles from home, smack dab in the middle of God's Country (and by that I mean, of course, the desert). One thing's for sure, they'll find some very friendly and caring people helping them...and they'll certainly come to appreciate some good Tex-Mex cuisine!
Stay tuned...
Update: Here's a little more background on how this came to pass. The Emergency Management department of Fort Stockton is apparently designated as a first-responder contact for things like this. An intial contact was made by HUD asking if there were any vacant houses in the town that could be used for families displaced by the hurricane. Fort Stockton is in the middle of a well-publicized (in our area, at least) economic boom and there just aren't any empty houses. A subsequent contact was then made by the American Red Cross and the school housing plan was developed.
The school district's food services group will provide the meals for the visitors, who will be housed in the two empty elementary schools (one of which is located across the alley from my parents' house). The church will be used as a staging area for when the visitors arrive.
Technorati tag: Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts
Maybe they could plant some trees real quick before the folks arrive. I don't know where they could find any gators on short notice, but there are plenty of rattlesnakes...perhaps that's a separate but equal answer.
Posted by: Eric at September 3, 2005 10:43 PMIt'll be interesting to see how this all turns out, both for Midlanders and the influx from the Big Easy.
I hope they leave your schools in better condition than they did their Superdome.
Posted by: Mr. Freen at September 4, 2005 11:12 AMMr. Freen, it's hard to conceive of how a Superdome-like fiasco would be avoided under the same circumstances, regardless of location. The effects of non-functioning plumbing and a/c are the same regardless of one's values or demographics. I should know; we're dealing with a backed-up kitchen sink as I type this! ;-)
Now, the lawlessness that eventually reared its ugly head is a different matter, but I think we've sufficiently beat that dead horse.
Posted by: Eric at September 4, 2005 06:37 PMAbout the publisher
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Before I even got to your mention of it, the phrase "culture shock" was already forming in my mind. Truly, it will be a world apart from where they were living...
Posted by: Cowtown Pattie at September 3, 2005 10:24 PM