Today's Work...

Since Troy and I worked on the moving yesterday, we were guaranteed a different assignment today. We actually worked on a home site today, but it is a new project just getting started, and we helped prepare the post holes to support the massive square wooden piers that this new two bedroom house will sit upon. It will be 12 feet off the ground to avoid any new flooding as happened with the previous house when Katrina's storm surge came ashore just west of Bay St. Louis.

We met the home owner, a woman and her husband (whom we did not meet) in their late 50's who had lived in the area all of their lives and lost virtually everything they had in the storm. They have been living in an old trailer for four years, and are very excited to contemplate a new and safe home on their old site. They both receive public assistance and qualified for a government grant to cover the basic costs of their reconstruction. Of course they could not afford the house if they weren't working with Camp Coast Care and other agencies to get the job done at a minimal cost. Our donated labor has a great deal to do with the ability of folks such as this couple to remain in the area and to receive a replacement for their destroyed houses.

The others from our group haven't come into the commons area yet after their work, so I'll add more later about their experiences today.

..Joe