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Hi folks, thought you might want one more first-person report of the situation here in Houston. I volunteered at the GRB for a few hours on Sunday and Monday both, and found the situation quite organized. In fact I am very, very proud to be in Houston at this time.
On Sunday afternoon my friend and I joined a long line of people outside the doors waiting patiently just to volunteer. Hundreds of people just wanted to do whatever they could. Inside the doors, the first sight is rows upon rows of donated shoes along the floor - kids' shoes, women's shoes, men's shoes. Beyond the shoes, tables overflowed with children's books, puzzles and toys. Past that, baby items and toiletries, then in the distance, kids' and adult clothing were organized on tables by type of item and size. This "shopping mall" filled a HUGE area, taking up more than half of the south exhibit hall.
After we registered, we volunteers were subject to a quick orientation in groups of about 30, then sent off in small teams assigned to various tasks. Anyone with medical experience is IMMEDIATELY dispatched to the medical area, where the need is the greatest. On Sunday, my friend and I were part of a group of six women organizing the women's pants section of the "store". First we worked as a team to make signs that would be visible from far away so people would know which table was which. Then the two of us tacked the "sizes 10-12 table," removing items that didn't belong there and organizing the pants that were left. All the while, guests wandered through and we did our best to help them find what they wanted. I learned later that they can "check in" to the shopping area once each day if they wish, but are limited to 2 outfits and one set of toiletries each time they visit. We helped people find clothes for themselves or their family members. At one point a group explained to me that the lady they were shopping for needed an elastic waist, because, "she's eighty-six!" Suddenly a pair of stretchy but nice quality knit pants in the color they had been requesting appeared in the corner of my vision, and I was able to present it to them, "I believe this is what you're looking for." By the end of this, my friend and I would have been well-qualified for employment at The Gap. :) One Hispanic gentleman, perhaps in his 60's, confessed that he was actually going to be leaving the facility that afternoon, and wondered if it was still okay for him to take some items. I assured him that if he was affected by the hurricane, this was intended for him. But it was very touching to see him wanting to be SURE that it was okay, when he had somewhere else to sleep that night, that he took some clothing for himself and his daughter, who were both flooded out of Louisianna.
The next day I came back with different friends, a man and a woman, expecting more of the same or similar work. I was therefore somewhat surprised when, after dispatching medically trained people, they asked if any of us were or had been teachers. Turns out my female friend and I both qualified, so we were led off to the third floor children's activities area to play with kids. Cool! Within minutes I had a new friend in 6th-grade "J.", who read stories and played with me and confided that she had been sad about their house. But then, beaming, she informed me, "Mama says we're going to STAY RIGHT HERE!" This reflected the intent of the majority of the people I've met; many intend to stay in Houston and build lives here the best they can.
A volunteer in a rainbow wig was painting pretty designs onto the hands and cheeks of the girls who wanted that, and she also let the girls play with the body crayons to color their new volunteer friends. I continued reading and playing with J. (she was keen on reading with me, though she apologized for stumbling over a few words in the easy book we had chosen, lamenting that she was "low" in reading) and other kids, so was surprised a little later to find that my fellow volunteer friend now had her ENTIRE fair freckled face and forearms covered with wild designs in body crayon! "Oh, beautiful!" I beamed. Her arms had been the canvas of a brother-sister team, and my eye was drawn to an area on her left arm which, unlike the rest of the colorful designs, was drawn in black.
The drawing on my friend's left arm turned out to be three stick figures standing under clouds pouring down rain. As I examined it, the young artist pointed out the clouds and rain he had drawn. I observed aloud the depiction of the rising waters he had drawn in below the figures, and he nodded. "But these three people all made it out of their okay?" I asked. "Yes," he confirmed. And I said, "well, that's the most important thing," and we high-fived. But it made me cry anyway, only later.
To sign up for a 6 to 12 or 12 to 6 morning, afternoon, evening, or overnihgt shift at the George R. Brown, call (713) 853-8385. If you don't have quite that much time, you can "drop in" as I did, as long as you're flexible. At peak times this weekend they did need to turn some people away. This is a long-haul effort, so we were advised to pace ourselves, and keep coming back.
Peace,
Sky in Houston
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