sross said... IT WAS Just WONDERFUL!! I am making plans for the next big cleanup Day!! But I agree, We Need to Keep this up until there is "NO More IKE in SIGHT”! And if a job is not completed we can go back anytime to get it done. All The Workers and Helpers were just great! So helpful with giving out water, supplies, and SMILES!! And the Bridge City Residents were so grateful. It made me think that Just Maybe things CAN BE worse. So I thank God for the little damage I had to my home and my hometown (Port Neches). It Could Have Been Worse. Thank God for the Kind Hearts, The Young helpers and the well, more experienced Helpers!! LOL!! Thank You for such a Wonderful Experience!! With Love, Sandy, Port Neches, Texas October 6, 2008 8:26 AM


Golden Tri Angels Said... Our team, The Golden Tri-Angels were assigned Honeysuckle Lane/Drive. We arrived at 9:45. We drove down the road and couldn't believe our eyes. Our team consisted of only five members, my husband Joe, my 17 yr. old son Chris, my 12 yr. old son Christian, my sister in law Melanie and myself. We were in total shock to see the disaster. I had tried to prepare my sons but I don't think that I, myself was prepared. We pulled up to a house with a sign that read, Please Stop We Need Help. I knocked but no one answered. There was a board on the garage with a list of phone numbers to call if no one was home. So we began going down the list. We finally reached someone. The lady was very anxious and asked that we please wait, that they were at church and would come right home. They had been waiting for help for so long. I told her we would wait. He mom came within 10 minutes. Mrs. Dupuis drove into the drive with a big smile on her face. She acted as if we had just told her she won a million dollars. I explained to her we were here to help. Just point us in the right direction and tell us what she needed done. She just kept telling us thank you. He husband later arrived along with their daughter, son in law and son. Their son is handicap and Mr. Dupuis was diagnosed with cancer and there is no cure. He said he doesn't have much longer to live and didn't know how he was ever going to get his home and land back in order for his wife and family to be able to live there. He said that we would never know how much this meant to them. Their home had 5 feet of water in it. Their daughter and son in law live behind them in a mobile home that is raised up on cinderblocks and the water rose so high that it entered their home also. They are now living in a hotel in Port Arthur. They only come to their home to clean and leave in the evening. We spent all day cleaning debris off the land. Cleaning out the sheds in the back. Making the walkway accessible to the mobile home. We even cleaned the garden area that Mrs. Dupuis seemed to be so very upset that she lost due to the salt water flooding in. It was a lot of hard work but seeing the smiles on this family's faces was well worth the heat, cuts, scrapes and smells. I am so glad that we could take part in such a great volunteer program. We would have never been able to meet such a wonderful family otherwise. God Bless the Dupuis Family and all the families in Bridge City and the surrounding areas that were affected by IKE.

October 6, 2008 8:34 AM
Les Hayhurst said... I truly feel like a different person today! In the past 2 weeks of helping to organize Mid County Kindness
I have witnessed so many generous people and companies come forward in order to lend a hand to Bridge City.
I have personally seen my prayers answered as obstacles were moved out of our way.
I have witnessed civic leaders from 4 different cities rise up and come together, adding another layer to the foundation that holds our communities together.
I have seen my church, among others, expressing what worship looks like in action.
I have seen a community on its knees encouraged to rise up and rebuild.
I have seen one of the largest volunteer labor forces assembled and mobilized to accomplish a huge task.
I have seen the heartbreak of finding a home with a "Need Help" sign that was not addressed. (We did a monumental job but our work is not finished)
And today I am again encourage as Mid County Kindness teams reply to the request to keep their teams together and continue what we started.
The list of people and organizations to thank is very long. Although we do not do what we did for recognition, we are in a debt of gratitude to all who supported this effort.
Thank ALL of you that put your "Boots on the Ground" to help Bridge City!
Les Hayhurst, Mid County Kindness

Marsha Pelham said... Good morning everyone!!! I want to thank all of you who came to Bridge City yesterday to help clean, serve food and just basically lift our spirits. Bridge city was a nice quite little town where I grew up. I love living there and it saddens me to see it in the state it is right now. But knowing how much our surrounding communities are supporting us made a tremendous difference. There are about 8600 people that live in BC and only 8 houses did not flood. The generosity that was shown to us this week-end will help give us the boost we need to keep working and cleaning until Bridge City is back the way it was. Even though there is debris and trash everywhere and all of our possessions are in our front yards, we are blessed because we had structures to come home to and rebuild. If the storm had moved just slightly east we could have been Crystal Beach or the Bolivar Peninsula. So for all of you that came to clean up houses & yards, rip out sheetrock, brought fresh fruit, cooked for us or just kept us in your prayers we will never be able to thank you enough. I know the game was between PNG & Nederland but BC was the winner!! Thank You!!!!!! Marsha Pelham - BC Resident October 6, 2008 10:29 AM amy blount said... To work so hard, yet still feel like we were the ones blessed. Our church, Calvary Baptist, Nederland, arrived at the home of my brother-in-laws parents at about 12:40 p.m. I didn't think we would get a whole lot accomplished starting at midday, but let me tell you, God blessed us for faithful attendance in church that morning by turning us all into work horses!! We had about as many Youth as adults, but I tell you, those kids WORKED!!! We split up between two houses, gutting them both down to studs. I tell you, those people were so grateful and loving. Working along side them as they pulled apart pieces of their lives was humbling. My daughter and some friends found a neighbor there that needs help so badly. I felt for them, but we needed to finish what we started first. She rallied the troops and they plan on going Saturday morning to do more work. Praise God! I pray that our communities are able to continue to bless and help these wonderful people of BC! I thank God for the opportunity to get so hot, sweaty, stinky and bruised, all in His name, to His glory. Amy, Nederland October 6, 2008 8:28 PM loyd said... Our Team from the United Board of Missions was able to relieve the pressure of our homeowners who were working 12 hour shifts at the plant and cleaning the house. They were so excited to see the 10 of us. Next thing we knew we had 2 people join us that just drove by and stopped. I wanted to say that for those that organized this event, It was done right. There were supplies, food and drink everywhere for the asking. Its a shame FEMA can't take lessons. We were all proud to participate and hopefully gave something back.