2011

flood

Southern New England is overdue for a major hurricane. The last big one, in terms of lives lost, damage and cost, was the Great Hurricane of 1938. A lot has changed since then that will make the next one even more severe.

2008

French Quarter

V igilantly we awaited news on what would happen when the full force of Hurricane Gustav hit New Orleans, almost three years to the day that Hurricane Katrina struck with brute force. This time there was better preparation. Most residents evacuated the city. Many were assisted with transportation that the local government provided in advance. New Orleans was forced to watch and see if the tenuous levees would be strong enough to hold back water.

Katrina Benefit

The pastors of the United Methodist Cooperative Ministry will sponsor a fund-raiser today, Friday, Jan. 18 to help support volunteers who will travel to Slidell, La., to help with post-Hurricane Katrina reconstruction.

The event, which will feature home-made waffles, is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Christ United Methodist Church, Church street, Vineyard Haven. More information is available by calling 508-645-3100.

2007

Katrina Volunteers

More than two years after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, volunteers still are cleaning up and rebuilding areas ravaged by the hurricane.

Skip and Mary Ann Danforth of Chatham, through the United Methodist Committee of Relief, have been leading such groups of volunteers, returning to Louisiana four times. They will be leading another group from Jan. 27 to Feb. 2.

Charter School Students

Plan Katrina Relief Work

A group of high school students from the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School will return to Biloxi, Miss., to continue their Hurricane Katrina relief work. The students will be traveling Jan. 6 through 12 to work with the Restoration Point non-profit organization.

The Federated Church of Edgartown is sending volunteers on a 10-day mission to New Orleans in November to continue the rebuilding work the church youth group began last December.

With the passing of the second anniversary of Katrina, and with so much left incomplete, inadequate, or non-existent in this still-ravaged area, the volunteers feel called to lend additional physical, emotional and spiritual support.

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