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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
 Posted - 09/06/2005 : 04:25:50 AM
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Aloha, I have a request. Then please read the letter at the bottom. A friend of mine is going back down to Mississipi to drop off more supplies on Thursday...I am trying to help with that. He needs to raise $500. If we raise more than that, we can take two trailors of supplies. The list of needs is shown below. We will take any donations and buy those materials. We will also issue tax reciepts. Donor's names will be listed here (except when asked to be anonymous).
Please... send via pay-pal (https://www.paypal.com/) to bomelia @ comcast.net.
If you cannot do PayPal, but want to help, email me at bomelia @ comcast.net with the amount you want to send. I will front that, then you can mail check to me at Mike O'Melia, 3202 Dry Stone Cir, Hampton Cove, AL 35763
If possible , I plan to bring back a youngster or two, and get them enrolled back in school up here (Huntsville, AL).
Many Mahalos in advance! In a disaster of this magnitude, we trully see all our peoples as Ohana.
Mahalo,
Mike
My friends e-mail:
Friday night I got many calls from several people across the country that many of my friends in Bay St. Louis and Waveland Mississippi had survive even though they did not leave, for this I am very grateful. Many were in their homes during the storm, some lost everything and almost didn't make it, and others we're untouched. They were asking for help. I brought 100 gallon of gas, propane tanks, bags and bags of cloths, food, and other things listed below.
I made a trip to Hancock county MS on Sunday, leaving Huntsville at 1:30 am, arriving there at 8:00 am, staying until 3:00 pm, and returned to Huntsville
about 10:00pm. The rules for traveling are this, do not be south of
Hattiesburg after 6:00 pm or before 6:00 am, be self sufficient for 72 hours, you must be bringing supplies (which is being encouraged by the local red cross), there was no gas in Meridian or south so bring your own. I took every measure to make sure that I could accomplish what I needed to do in a safe and sane manner.
I also brought home a 15-year-old boy that lost his school and we agreed to take in and care for him until December at the soonest until repairs are made to his school. We are enrolling him into Grissom High School. This boy has witnessed what we could only have nightmares about, but his house sustained little damage.
What I saw was too long to write here and is a life changing event, that is if I could explain it at all. Our old family house was completely
destroyed. I did learn many things about what people need. Help has
arrived. National guard was everywhere, water bottles were everywhere (I
couldn't give it away), the food they are receiving is a very good variety (although its not reaching many because of gas). This is a list of what people told me they needed (and my best shot at importance) and what I brought (please pass this on to anyone collecting items)
1) Gas - For chain saws, generators, and to get to the supplies
stations for goods, and to carry things to people they know lost cars or are to old
2) A few 5 Gallon gas containers to store gas for generators
(Huntsville is completely sold out, partially due to gas hording)
3) Full propane tanks for cooking.
4) Coleman burner grills and the little green bottles
5) Coleman lanterns with the same green bottles
6) Clothing of any type
7) Batteries
8) Gloves
9) Shoes/Boots
10) Sheets/blankets (they sleep on the floor because the mattresses have been tossed in the yard.
11) Hand wipes
12) Plastic silverware and paper plates
13) Long Fire Lighters
14) Pop-top can goods (most people can and are heating by fire, there is
plenty of wood), granola type bars, etc.
15) Soda's of any type
16) They told me money was worthless. I suspect that will change when stores start to open in a month or so (hopefully).
17) Does anyone have access to a satellite phone? Many are desperately
trying to get word out. I'm passing as much information back and forth and over the phones with the "network" of people that has been establish across the county. Also, I have no communications for 8 plus hours while there, this is making my wife very nervous! I had a person organizing medical supplies call me from NM tonight wanting a list of people in need of medicine and I was right there by red cross and couldn't get the information out. There is a shortage of these phones right now.
For every house that was destroyed, there are three that are not, but they were flooded for several hours. I can't tell you how many poor families I saw outside their house, all of the contents of the house in a pile to dry, furniture and mattresses ruined, while they start to clean up their house
and yard. In some ways, this is worse than an affluent person that has a
total lose of an insured house on the beach. These people are not leaving
at this point nor should they because they are the ones that are going to rebuild the town, and what I saw of the attitude of these people, that wont take long. When I met them, they were more concerned about me getting out than what had happed to them. The look on their faces when they're given the things they need made it well worth it.
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Aloha, Mike |
Edited by - slackkeymike on 09/06/2005 05:51:56 AM |
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 09/06/2005 : 5:18:05 PM
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Hi Mike,
In the semi-anonymous world of internet forums, there tends to be a lot of skepticism about posts asking for or offering help. Since you're an active member of our `ohana, I justed wanted to wish you luck in your efforts. There are many ways to help but you and your friend are on the front line. Good for you. |
Andy |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 09/06/2005 : 6:48:40 PM
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I knew that going in. And I surely do not blame people for skepticism. It is a tough thing that is going on down there. We happen to be in a unique position of being able to get down there and help specific families.
It looks like the trip down to Mississippi is happening tomorow night. In another thread I explained what the needs were. Any money that we get will be to buy fuel, blankets, tarps, water, etc.
I will run any donations through our company, Torch Technologies which has a general purpose foundation to deal with donations and tax issues.
As I said before, the easiest way is to send money is via Paypal (https://www.paypal.com) and the email address is bomelia @ comcast.net...any amount is appreciated an you will recieve receipts for tax purposes (I will need snail mail addresses to get those to you).
In the event that PayPal is not an option, send me an e-mail indicating the amount you wish to give, and I will front it. You can then send a check via snail mail to Mike O'Melia, 3202 Drystone Cir, Hampton Cove, AL 35763. In all cases, I will send you reciepts for tax purposes. I will also post photos later.
We are trying to raise $500, and thus far we have recieved $475 (thank you!!) Our effort will target specific communities in Mississippi. We will post photos of the effort. If we raise more than $500, we will take two trailors down.
Surely, our effort is a drop in the bucket...but I do not think the recipients will see it that way.
I will get a photo of the recipients with a TaroPatch.com poster and post it here later.
Again,
Thank You. And, God Bless you.
Mike |
Aloha, Mike |
Edited by - slackkeymike on 09/06/2005 7:27:11 PM |
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 09/07/2005 : 02:01:32 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by slackkeymike
I will get a photo of the recipients with a TaroPatch.com poster and post it here later.
Not really necessary but that'd be cool. If you do it, please correct to Taropatch.net.  |
Andy |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 09/07/2005 : 12:14:30 PM
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Thank you TaroPatchers!! We are done. My goal was $500, raised $1400!!!
Pictures to follow.
Mike
Edit: Make that $1550! (from all sources) |
Aloha, Mike |
Edited by - slackkeymike on 09/14/2005 10:24:27 AM |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 09/14/2005 : 10:02:26 AM
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To all, here is a Thank You for your Katrina support from some of the folks that were affected by the storm AND your support. You did a good thing.
Please vist (ask me) for more pictures of storm damage, and relief efforts.
Mike (PLEASE!! email me your snail mail address so I can send tax reciepts!!! bomelia @ comcast.net)
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Aloha, Mike |
Edited by - slackkeymike on 09/15/2005 08:51:11 AM |
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