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Blog Entry For
Kevis
As Christmas Nears Oak Island Still Struggling but Not Beaten Down
Tuesday, December 16, 2008 - 9:07 pm -
Kevis
A heartfelt thanks to all my fishing buddies at TejasBahias.com Galveston Bay fishing forum for their help extended to Oak Island. We had a fish, cook & eat get-together this past Saturday and I mentioned on the board that I would deliver any donations that were brought. Wow! Did they ever come through! I left there with a pickup bed full and just enough room left in the cab to be able to drive home.
Sunday afternoon I met Pastor Eddie at the Oak Island church with my load. We emptied the bed of the truck then I opened the cab. He asked, "Is all that going, too?" I replied that it was but there was one item that I wasn't sure of what they would do with. One of the guys had donated a perfectly good wedding dress with a train. I told Eddie that it could be sold for the cash on ebay if he liked. He said that someone may have a need for it. He married a couple just last weekend.
During my unloading, a pair of perfectly good tennis shoes fell out of a bag. I set the shoes on top of the deposited bags where another bag ended up on top of one of the shoes. The "store" (where donated items are given away) was closed for Sunday but there was a little elderly Vietnamese man there looking for a few items. This gentleman saw the one shoe, picked it up and said, with a smile on his face, "I need a pair of shoes and this is my size but what can I do with only one shoe?" I smiled back at him, lifted one finger as to say "just a moment" and picked up a bag to show him the other shoe. His smile turned to a big grin. We spoke for a while and he told me how he had spent the snow covered night in a tent with only blankets for warmth. He explained that he survived OK but wouldn't do it again. I told him that I hoped he wouldn't have to and he said that he knew he wouldn't. He had moved into his FEMA trailer that day. Now his smile grew to its biggest yet.
Pastor Eddie said that FEMA had so far brought in about 50 trailers and more were supposed to be on the way. In the mean time there are still those who have to survive the elements. Beginning next Monday, temperatures are expected to only reach highs in the low to mid 30's and again the possibility of freezing rain or snow. It will be a cold, miserable Christmas week for some.
Except for furnishing the FEMA homes, donation requests are beginning to shift to the needs of rebuilding permanent homes. A list is to be created listing the families of the community and the individual needs of each. The road ahead still remains a very long one. Donations of Lowe's or Home Depot gift certificates would be fitting Christmas presents for any family rebuilding in Oak Island. These can be sent to:
Rev. Eddie Shauberger
Oak Island Baptist Church
PO Box 400
Anahuac, TX 77514
While in Oak Island I was able to find jackie3336 (from Neil's community) and her husband. Good people and I enjoyed the time we spent chatting. Though they did get a little rising water in the house and had to replace flooring, Jackie lives in one of the 8 homes to survive. From her home that sits high on stilts she keeps a very watchful eye over the community surrounding her. Thank you, Jackie, for the help you've provided me in being able to do what little I can for Oak Island.
Merry Christmas,
Steve
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3 Comments
Re A few more trailers have come in
Thursday, December 18, 2008 - 6:09 am -
jackie3336
As I head out of Oak Island I noted that a few more trailers have come in. They speak of another cold front coming in just before Christmas. Hopefully all are in trailers this time. We can only hope and pray.
Come Friday I will be sorting out Christmas items and giving to some folks down here that we have a list. These are greatly appreciated from the toy and adult item drive that Chambers Co Historical Museum/Archives received.
If your ever in Anahuac do stop by. Starting 2009 we will be open 5 days a week. After 2 Janurary. Lots of history here and as Anahuac is called the "Cradle of Texas".
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Thanks!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008 - 2:51 pm -
Kevis
Thanks, Jackie, for filling in the details that I left out. And I didn't mean to make it sound as if your troubles were few. You did lose everything on the property and that is a burden to carry. Bless you for thinking about the kids and others first. You're so right about the children there needing a Christmas more than we adults do. I'm making the same request from everyone who asks what I want. That or give me the cash so that I can use it for the needy of Oak Island.
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Re More On Oak Island and Thank You
Wednesday, December 17, 2008 - 7:17 am -
jackie3336
Re Cold Weather Here At Oak Island and Updates
Tuesday, December 16, 2008 - 12:00 pm - jackie3336
We had snow last week Dec 9, 2008 and then today another cold front Dec 16, 2008. Still people here have not all received the FEMA Trailers.
Then my heart aches for the little ones come Christmas time. They are on my mind to have a Christmas and/or those folks who need to purchase items they lost from Hurricane Ike. Like dishes, linens, blankets, towels etc that we take day by day.
Yes I have damages yet nothing compaired to Ike. I still have my home. Yet, 2 sheds are damaged, everything under the house is gone. My fencing is gone from those homes that came into my yard. A carport that needs replaced. I over look those and think of the folks who lost everything.
As I left Oak Island today I see that the FEMA trailer is no longer at our community center.
There is numerous homes that still need to be torn down and empty lots that need to be cleared.
We no longer have a fire department and the nearest one is in Anahuac.
One nice thing the Chambers County Historical Museum/Archives has had is a toy and adult drive through Dec 23rd . These items are to go to the displaced ones for Chambers County.
It was wonderful for Kevis to have donated numerous things for Christmas via his job in Baytown. Those were taken to the church at Oak Island Sunday.
When people ask me what I want for Christmas I say help those that lost more then me and for the children to have a Christmas they need it more.
Some day I shall repair my place yet take care of those who need it more.
A person never knows what once you had can be taken away in a flash.
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