PICAYUNE —
Throughout this past weekend, many local residents spent time either making donations or helping sort through them for disaster aid going to residents in Redhook, New Jersey and Rockaway, New York, in Queens.
The effort was named Operation “Because We Remember” and as of Monday, at 3 p.m., had taken in $15,200 in monetary donations for supplies and had acquired 13 pallets of donated items to fill two 18 wheel trucks, located at Manna Ministries and donated for use by Huey Stockstill Industries and Pearl River Community College.
Rockaway is a community of approximately 100,000 that sent supplies to Picayune after Katrina.
Picayune Fire Chief Keith Brown recounted how the effort began.
“Allen Hickman of Resurrection Life had the vision and he met with Mayor Ed Pinero, Sandy Kane Smith and myself to share ways he knew we could coordinate our resources and give back. He, and many others here, remembered that particular community sending us disaster aid after Katrina.
From that meeting, Brown drafted a letter and emailed it to many community leaders asking that they share it with others.
Churches and civic groups throughout the county and part of La. responded to the request.
PRCC Vice President for Economic and Community Development Scott Alsobrooks, Ph.D. said, ”Pearl River Community College (PRCC) is fortunate to be in a position to assist those in need in both New York and the Atlantic states. PRCC and South Miss. received an abundance of goodwill and assistance in those difficult post Katrina days. PRCC Commercial Driving Instructors, Daniel Smith and Jason Brown, did not hesitate at the opportunity to transport these relief supplies to help those in need.”
Of the community response to the request for aid, Mayor Pinero said, “I am excited and thankful for the tremendous support of our citizens. We are truly blessed to have so many caring people in Picayune and Pearl River County.”
Billy Martin and Dawn Bechtel of Resurrection Life Ministries coordinated volunteers and loading of the trucks.
Martin said, “There has been a great effort made to make this a success from as far away as Franklinton, La. We were all effected by Hurricane Katrina and we know from experience the items that we needed and what worked. The residents in the community have been communicating their needs for things like coats, baby formula and diapers. We are also sending water, cleaning supplies, peanut butter, cans of ravioli and prepared food items.
“We are able to use every cent that has been donated to buy additional items that we know they will need, thanks to the transportation vehicles and gas being donated. There should be at least 32 pallets of items being split between the two towns.”
Bechtel said, “The outpouring of generosity has far exceeded our expectations. People even took time off of work today to come and either volunteer or donate items.”
“It truly does my heart good to know that we can give back to people who helped us. Just remembering back to Katrina, it was a blessing to see those (disaster relief) trucks show up in our time of need with no strings attached. The people driving them would just say, ‘Here; this is for you.’ Efforts like this are not mandated, they come from the heart,” said Brown.
Councilman Wayne Gouget agreed and said, “I’m so excited that we are making use of this opportunity to give back to the generous people who helped us so much in our time of need.”
Features
Related Photos
-
Billy Martin, key coordinator for Resurrection Life Ministries brings the first pallet to load onto a disaster aid truck bound for hurricane victims of New York and New Jersey. Jodi Marze
Operation “Because We Remember”
Everyday Heroes
- Features
-
-
southern gardening
Every spring the home gardener is bombarded with new and improved petunias for the garden and landscape, making it hard to decide which to bring home from the garden center. In my opinion, you simply can’t go wrong selecting any of the Supertunias.
-
arboretum paths
Spring is now in full swing at the Crosby Arboretum, and the show is well on its way toward a crescendo. The blooms of native purple Iris can be seen along the edge of the Piney Woods pond, pink “honeysuckle” azalea is flowering near the Pinecote Pavilion, and the yellow blooms of the pitcher plants — called “buttercups” by local residents — are beginning to carpet the south Savanna Exhibit.
-
USM set to host Children’s Book Festival
One of the most anticipated events celebrating children’s literature, the Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival at The University of Southern Mississippi, will be held April 10-12 at the Thad Cochran Center on the Hattiesburg campus.
-
Amber Bounds breaks six-year-old state swimming record
The Southern MS Aquatic Club (Mantarays) participated in the Santa’s Best Swim Invitational in Biloxi Nov. 30-Dec. 2. The Mantarays finished 6th out of 22 teams competing from LA, AL, FL, and MS.
-
Capitol Pages
Jonathan Fail of Picayune, and Lorrie Warren of Poplarville recently served as pages for the Mississippi Senate.
-
Yellow jasmine brightens yards
According to the calendar, we are just a few days away from the official start of the spring season. But if you have been watching the garden and landscape like I have, you’ve seen signs of spring for at least several weeks. The plants are starting to wake up.
-
Native blooms abound at the Arboretum’s spring plant sale
The long-awaited weekend is upon us – that time which comes but once a year. Yes, it’s the Crosby Arboretum’s spring native plant sale.
-
Welcome Center celebrates arts and literature in March
The Mississippi Development Authority, Division of Tourism will be celebrating “Arts and Literature” during the month of March. Each of the Welcome Centers will be decorated differently for this celebration.
-
Lamont Rowlands house important to historical heritage
Pat Crosby first moved to the Lamont Rowlands house in 1992.
Although she found the home in disrepair, she couldn’t imagine not living there and knew that was her new home.
“It just spoke to me, and it still does,” said Crosby, the wife of the late Tommy Crosby, son of R.H. Crosby. Tommy Crosby completely renovated the home and grounds. -
Pearl River County Arts League Art Show and Sale
Pearl River County Arts League Art Show and Sale will be held on Saturday, March 23, from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. and Sunday, March 24, from noon till 4 p.m. at The Knights of Columbus Hall, 408 Carroll Drive. The show is open to all artists and admission is free to the public.
- More Features Headlines
-
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools
$1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest
NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor
Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool
Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids
Raw: Bear Falls From Tampa Tree
Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics
Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday
Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge
Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel?
Wash. State Releases Draft Rules for Legal Pot
Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction
Officials: Texas Tornado Likely Had 200 Mph Wind
Brothers Arrested in NOLA Parade Shooting
Raw: School Bus Crash Injures Five Children
Quick Response Saved Baby on Phila. Train Tracks
One Million Evacuated As Cyclone Hits Bangladesh
