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It has been more than 540 days since the worst national disaster in U.S. history hit Mississippi. I've met so many amazing people. So strong. So hardworking, and still with a sense of humor. I love them.
My name is Becky Whitfield, and I am 23 years old. I graduated from Waubonsie Valley High School in 2003. Today, I live in Pascagoula, Miss., at Operation TLC Volunteer Center with my eight AmeriCorps/NCCC crew mates. Every day we help our Mississippi neighbors who are still trying to put their lives back together after Hurricane Katrina.
The one person who has captivated my heart is Don "Dink" Purdy.
Dink, 78, was born and raised in Pascagoula. I met him at the house he's lived in since 1935. He has a deep love for playing the stand-up bass and writing books on music theory. His 78-year-old home sits three blocks inland from the Gulf of Mexico. Two weeks ago, I led 14 volunteers from Princeton University on a special mission to clear out what still remained in Dink's house.
His house lasted through the 1969 storm of Hurricane Camille. When Hurricane Katrina came, Purdy stayed at his sister's house down the street. When I asked why he stayed, he said, "I thought this storm was going to be no big deal. I stayed because I thought it was going to be like any other hurricane that has passed through."
His house took on three feet of water and sustained minor roof damage. After the Hurricane, Dink was hospitalized for seven weeks with a staph infection he developed because of the toxic sea water. He is now living in a FEMA trailer outside his house.
"I've been putting my life back together," Dink said. "During the day, I am writing a book on music theory and at night I spend it at my sister's house because she is scared and lonely."
In order to get his house restored, it needed to be cleared out. After we removed four 1950s-era pianos out of his house, Dink cried, not because we moved his life out of his house, but because we had cleared out the three rooms he asked for, plus four others. We all stood there imagining Dink living back in his house. It's possible now.
Now that the house is cleared out, Dink desperately wants to move back in; volunteers could help move a vibrant old man move back into his house.
Dink reminded me of my grandfather. I could not help to think what it would be like if my grandfather were in his predicament.
It is not too late to help Dink or residents like him. We are desperately seeking donations for beds for our sister organization, Mississippi Home Again. Eighteen months after the storm, residents in Jackson County are still sleeping on their cold floors. These people are not survivors, but rather, they are still surviving. We also need volunteers.
Go to http://www.operationtlc.org to find out how you can volunteer or call (228) 712-2669. You can also visit http://www.mshomeagain.org and find out what Mississippi Home Again does for the Jackson County residents. Many Katrina victims still need help.
AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps is the organization that has sent me to Pascagoula, where I have been able to meet so many residents who have been effected by Hurricane Katrina. The 10-month residential program meets our country's critical needs by providing disaster relief, environmental and educational services. Teams are broken into 10 members and lead by a team leader. In the past six months, my team and I have gutted houses in St. Bernard Parish in Louisiana, built houses with Habitat for Humanity in Waveland, Miss., and we picked up debris in Lake Charles, La. Visit http://www.americorps.gov to see more about AmeriCorps. |
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