How I Started Helping

Once upon a time, right? Not really.

My sister found operationeden (THE only blog as far as I'm concerned), sent it out to everyone in her address book demanding we do something. So I did.

I needed to verify the reports about Pearlington were true, so I started googling. I found a reporter's email address, wrote to her explaining that I needed to know the story was true before I began pouring forth any effort. She verified AND gave me names of contacts.

I was on my way. Many people neither like nor trust reporters, but they are probably the best place to start. If you need contacts to start your search, I would start there all over again.

The next thing I did was look up the town itself, the county, the school system, the fire department, the police department. I called my new contacts for more information and started making phone calls to all the locations I had found online.

I was sent articles that had names in it, I searched them out, contacted them and so the chain reaction continued. That is how I came about the list of links and articles I have listed previously.

The chain reaction continues. Phone calls have a ratio of about 7 seemingly useless to 1 that makes them all fall into place. It's lengthy at best, but when you take only about 7 phone calls a day, it takes no more than an hour a day. And that isn't so much for so many in so much need.

An example - tonight, on ABC World News, they reported on Gulfport MS and the fire department. One station - Station 7, was reportedly working out of a tent. Well, I found them online, called them and found out their in a FEMA trailor. We all know how puny those things are. And for an entire fire company to be in 1 of those little things is difficult at best. Ken gave me contact names to call tomorrow in order to give them some information that will hopefully help them.

I'll be calling them to tell them about New Hope Construction (listed in my links post) might be able to help them with new lodgings at very low prices. I'll also be telling him about The National Fire Academy's fund raising for both professional and personal assistance for the fire department and it's personnel. So hopefully, this will be one of those great phone calls where things just start falling into place.

Later on in the week, I'll post about the the progress and the set backs in hopes of helping others avoid the same set backs and create a more rapid progress in the grass roots development that is so desparately needed.

Intro

Hello Everyone!

Clayton Cubbitt gave me the courage to start a blog about the things I've tried to accomplish as well as the things I've actually accomplished for his home town Pearlington as well as his home county, Hancock County MS.

My journey has been about 8 weeks long thus far and has taken me places I've never before thought possible.

Not literally, but you get the idea. And the only reason I've done what I've done rather than go down and be just 1 more pair of hands is that I am disabled. I can't go down and be another pair of hands like I once could. I can only make phone calls, write emails and write letters. It's a long, tedious process, but one that seems to be making some progress and some difference.

Thanksfully! I've often wondered if what I've done has made a wit of difference, but then a great phone call comes along and I *know* it has.

So, with any luck, I'll post a couple of times a week as I have news worth reporting.

I am going to be posting how I have gone about my work so that others might be willing to do the same. If you have ANY questions about how to do any of the things I've done, write to me. #1 - I'll tell you to grow a big set of brass ones and #2 - let you know of any resources I have in hopes of making it easier on you. No sense in re inventing the wheel.

Leslie