Can you imagine superimposing the population of a city the size of New Orleans onto a city the size of Baton Rouge? That is what has happened. I am sure all of you are keeping up with the news, as it is constantly being covered as a national topic. I am not sure how New Orleans will recover, but it will only be with Federal aid. And while it is a total nightmare down there, the media is making sure it is worse. But pictures do not lie.
Our Rivercenter, a new exhibition hall constructed alongide our big Centroplex used for hockey and big events, is packed with refugees. Last night, a dozen VM's, Amelia and I included, set up a yellow tent in the Rivercenter and wearing our yellow shirts started doing our stuff. The Red Cross was there first, supplying food, cots and blankets, etc., to those who arrived first. Then they had none until late in the evening. Those first arrivals staked out their "homesteads," little square feet of blankets laid on the floor along the walls, then came the next group which had to find places out in the wide open spaces, and when we arrived, there was barely enough room to walk between these little "bedrooms." Two or three had camping tents. Others were lying on the bare hard floor, with no blankets or anything to lie on. There were entire families of every age. These were people who could not find or afford hotels. The hotels were packed to capacity in a two hundred mile radius.
We made our presence know immediately by fanning out and circulating, talking to them, doing assists, doing narrative allowing them to tell what happened, getting blankets and pillows to those who needed them. There were hallways filled with donated clothing and I was able to find some blankets and pillows, but got the last of them that were donated, relying on the Red Cross to fill the gap later by providing blankets. Many of them just laid on the bare floor with only a blanket and no pillow. The majority had a blanket to lie on and one to sleep under and perhaps something on which to lie their heads, and little more. These people had nothing left of their lives except the clothes on their back, having escaped flooded homes and now will return, perhaps in weeks, or even months, to find all their possessions destroyed. How they will make it as the reality seeps in and they begin to worry is of my concern. Some are in shock, but only a few for they were like campers on their first day at camp, still adjusting to the move, but as day after day of boredom wears on they will begin to need help. We need to get there teaching them to do BOOK One, and how to do assists.
We should also provide books. I found one girl who wanted to read Dianetics and I will give her one today. It would be a perfect time to give The Way To Happiness books as they will have time to read them.
They do have the consolation that FEMA,t he Federal agency that pays for some of their losses, will pay for their loss of food and furniture, etc. So all is not lost.
I was surprised at their attitude. They were mostly relatively uptone---so far. Amelia did some assists on a half dozen and with terrific results. One lady said she felt light and wonderful, after being morose and down. Everyone I talked to and helped by spending a bit of time with was smiling and uptone when I left, and as I passed back by later was greeted by wide smiles and waves. Soon they were calling to us for this or that, asking for help as if we were the ones to call on, and we were the only ones. We hit there as grief counsellers before anyone else got there!!! And I hear we were on FOX National TV!! I haven't seen it.
We have several young staff members VM's, and they got the little ones and began playing games with them, doing a congo line through the big room, jumping and playing, and I remember seeing one young girl calling out, "where's Alexis?", asking for Brittany and Alexis to come back and play with them. This gave those little kids a wonderful break.
Most have no idea of their families and loved ones left behind have survived. While they are apparantly keeping their tones up, I am sure they will begin to fret and then go into despair without help. We are the only ones to give real help. We must hold the line and go in there day after day and become fixtures to these people.
This was the second day of their confinement in this big room. They all knew it was just the beginning. There is no way of telling when they can go home. They have reconciled themselves to this regimen and I am concerned how they are going to take it after a week or so living like this, with so few comforts. We will be needing all the money and help we can get to hold the line and keep control of this segment. There are dozens of other locations packed with refugees other than the River Center. Lamar Dixon, a huge building used for rodeos, has 6,000 humans.
I understand a huge influx of VMs is headed to Baton Rouge, arriving in the next few days. Amelia and I have a 5,500 square foot home we have had on the market for sale now for 18 months. It is in the finest part of town, and totally vacated and empty. We are making it available for these visiting VM's to stay there. I hope the power comes back on soon so they will have AC. We need all the VM's possible to fill the gap and be there for these people and keep the psychs at bay and become the real terminals for them that we are and can be. We need all the donations we can get also.
Send your donations to the Baton Rouge Mission 225 928-7805. And for you living in this area, bring your donated items to the mission. Any clothes, towels, toothbrushes, sox---anything and everything. Empty your closets of old things you will never use. A beautiful little seven year old girl walked up to Amelia last night and said "can I have some clothes, all I have is this", she said, pulling on her dress. Amelia is sure here mother sent her to say that, but nonetheless, she has nothing but the dress she was wearing. Children's clothes, shoes, whatever you have, bring it to the mission as a collection point and we will bring it to the collection point. As this refines the operation, perhaps you can bring it to another location and I will keep you informed.
We will be going back during the day and every evening to help. This is our job. Call the Baton Rouge Mission, or me, to find out what you can do.
Drs. Rohit Adi and John Ragusa were there, giving assistance. I found one man who was desperate for his diabetes medication, and Rohit helped him. I went from family to family, person to person, asking if we can help in any way, and most of them needed blankets and pillows, basics like tooth brushes and towels, and I am sure soap and other essentials. I have no idea how they will bathe for there are no showers there.
So help is needed, and we are help. Do what you can.
L.D. Sledge
L. D. and Amelia Sledge
Equity Leadership Mortgage Group, Inc.
8325 Jefferson Highway
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70809
Office (225) 926-8888
Fax (225) 926-8884
L D's Cell (225) 252-5986
Amelia's Cell (225) 938-7117
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