09/06/05  Not so greedy part of Collin County

The most affluent parts of Collin County fell far short of the mark of assisting with the Katrina evacuees, and I am uncomfortable about that.  

However, McKinney, in the midst of these affluent towns with more than our share in the county of low income and Section 8 housing (and proud of it!), just dug in our heels and took in 400 evacuees with little notice.  

We have no social services infrastructure like Dallas, no Red Cross left to help. No FEMA and little health care for folks without insurance except for volunteer efforts. 

We built a beautiful shelter thanks to Wal-Mart and other businesses who contributed person power and
equipment. 

We have volunteers to run our medical clinic, which is always full. 

We have family finding and FEMA connections in our Internet cafe where I work, comfort, food counseling etc.  

We have some national guard, police, fire and volunteers from their citizens volunteers groups. 

There have been volunteers putting together apartments with at least two months free rent and hopefully four in process for the future.  The church groups have been wonderful.  

Actually, I'm just very proud of my newly adopted city!

My husband and I have been working at the shelter.  The folks from New Orleans are certainly traumatized, but they are coming back as they find some their family members which are most important to them.   Many are off looking for jobs or will be today. 

The kids were pre-enrolled in school over the weekend.   They are looking better as they are hydrated and getting good nutrition.   Our restaurants and churches have been feeding them very well with excellent food. 

Most of the evacuees we have were working in New Orleans and are anxious to re-establish their lives again.  They are very warm and friendly people and very family oriented which is why their hearts are broken with family members missing.  We have lots of kids, a few new babies who are delicious and at least three pregnant ladies.

It is a privilege to serve these people from New Orleans.   They have served me from behind the scenes or in big jobs when I lived and traveled to New Orleans.   It's my turn to serve them!  Many of them are thinking about restarting here and I hope that they do.

The criminal element which we heard so much about on TV is absent here.  We have mostly lots of Moms, Dads and kids who escaped with the clothes on their backs and maybe their Wallets and a few personal
things......maybe...... 

None of this will be easy for them and for us.  However, there is something about living the Golden Rule, rather than just hearing people talk it to death that is exhilarating.  Those folks who did nothing have no idea what I mean.

Barbara Mathews Blanton