Here's Tom's Update:
"Projects we’ve worked on and continue to work include:
Carol Dowers, interior work, plumbing, tile, electrical
Ana Wiede, painting interior/exterior
The Dawsey’s-completely stabilize the foundation due to poor construction costing several thousand dollars
Joe Keyes- finish electrical, exterior steps and landing for a/c and panel box
Susie Burton-
Debbie Sonnier- begin work on new siding-needed since storm
Michael Wheat-eves and roof work
David and Tammy Wake-
Ben and Sue Taylor-pump house
Our most comprehensive project remains John Nielsen’s. (Known to us as Captain John)
John and his son Joe had fallen through all the cracks with the state of Louisiana. They lived just west of the Pearl River along Hwy 90. John had fallen on hard times before the storm and his property was taken over by his brother. His brother passed on but left Joe the full right of use for life. Unfortunately Katrina took John’s mobile home and Gustov took his FEMA trailer. With no where to go and no assistance from St. Tammany Perish or the State of Louisiana, John’s situation seemed hopeless. John, a 72 year old man had been living with relatives in central Mississippi.
Ben Taylor learned of John’s situation and I met with John in attempt to assist him. I attended several meetings with the Louisiana Recovery Foundation and his sponsored Catholic Charities but because of the bureaucracies of these organizations they only delayed his progress until ultimately telling him they couldn’t help. Louisiana Salvation Army was contacted but they seized their assistance programs.
Ben, Sue Taylor, myself and my son renovated an old trailer that we had in Pearlington that was used for volunteers and we moved it to John’s property so he could be back home.
Like so many others, Mountains to Mississippi jumped in to help. Our hope was that we would obtain matching funds from these programs after we demonstrated our commitment. Ben Taylor, myself and my son Ben led the charge along with Ricky Bradburry and David Wake, both locals. The Mennonites arrived just in time and we began the foundation work, which was no easy task in a swamp.A truck hoe was donated by Miss Lynn who owns the Blue Dog Bait Shop next door, the Greenwald Foundation Bobcat worked hard to prepare the lot for foundation work. For the past four weeks all worked tirelessly seven days a week and a structure rose from the ruins of Katrina and Gustov.
Today and some $30,000 later Mountains to Mississippi and all our volunteers have taken what was a hopeless situation and gave John Nielsen hope for his future. The home is now “dried in” (doors, windows, roof ) The electrical system was installed this week by Shawn Benner a Louisiana licensed electrician (required by St. Tammany Perish) who gave us a rock bottom rate for his work.
Additional donations have been solicited by us and gladly provided by the First Baptist Church Bill Gwinn, the Pennsylvania group, and even the Louisiana Recovery Foundation provided about $3200 in materials.
We are about 50% done with John’s house. Unfortunately the cost of his and other projects have about depleted Mountain to Mississippi’s reserve. We can only hope that we will be able to finish John’s house and our other projects. More people are asking for assistance having either missed or been disqualified for aid.
Martin and Judy McCarty, referred to us by the Dawsey’s lost their home in Katrina, they bought a mobile home that not only took all their savings but turned into a money pit itself. It was subsequently lost in Gustov. Now homeless, we are hoping to take the small cottage previously occupied by Joe Keyes and move it to their property so that they will have a place to live. They are very excited about the prospects of having a home of their own again, even if it is only about 350 sq feet. That cottage should be moved in the next few weeks."
And the moving of that Cottage could be done by our team heading to Mississippi on the 12th of April! If you would like to donate to Mountains to Mississippi send your donation to made payable to AVMF to:
Aspen Valley Medical Foundation
401 Castle Creek Road
Aspen, CO 81610
PLEASE write Pearlington Project in the memo line and it will get to the right place.
If you would prefer to purchase Lowe's gift cards and send them with our team in April, we'd be happy to do that as well! We can even tell you what we bought! :)
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