Hands On Disaster Response is now All Hands Volunteers

BY DAVID CAMPBELL

Katrina hit four years ago today and Hands On Disaster Response, as we know it was born.

With our Thailand tsunami response behind us to learn and grow from, Katrina solidified our mission and model as a strong force in volunteer disaster response.

Looking back I think about how all of our lives have been affected by our time together in Biloxi, Mississippi –

- How it has influenced all who came together then and since “just to help,” and the dozens of volunteers who stayed for months, or years, still helping out and caring for the people of the Gulf Coast.

- The career paths of so many of those who volunteered with us that have changed toward studies or responsibilities in disaster management, public affairs, and related fields.

- The impact on HODR itself with subsequent projects around the world and in the US, which has grown since our days in Biloxi into a sustained organization with a vision and impact beyond our early expectations.

- And the really important things – the street signs are still up in Biloxi! It is amazing to see the long-lasting
impact of our 5 months helping Biloxi bridge the gap between rescue and recovery.

Councilman Bill Stallworth of Biloxi summarized the efforts of the 1,500 volunteers who pitched in during our project with the elegant statement – “When you gutted our houses, you ripped out despair, and you gave us hope.”

To everyone affected by Katrina we are always thinking of you and wishing you the best, today especially. And to everyone who came to help, thank you. Wherever you are now, know that your day, week, month or more volunteering made a difference in someone’s life.

David
Executive Director

Looking back:
HODR’s Katrina Response Project (then “Hands On USA” – HOUSA), September 2005 – February 2006
Project Updates & Accomplishments

Improving
Field clean-up prognosis brightens, tax levy adopted

OBSERVER Photo by Tim Latshaw Inmate crews work to clean Hillis Field Tuesday afternoon. Plans are for the field to be reseeded, with new grass possibly appearing next spring.

By TIM LATSHAW, OBSERVER Assistant News Editor
POSTED: August 28, 2009

GOWANDA – As more of Gowanda School’s Hillis
Field becomes visible through the mud, the
outlook on the cleanup work that must be
performed on it has improved.

The Gowanda School Board discussed ongoing
work on the field during a special meeting, with
Superintendent Charles Rinaldi saying more
headway has been made in clean-up than
expected thanks largely to the help of inmate
crews.

Inmates from Lakeview Shock Facility in Brocton
began cleanup of the perimeter of the field Monday and worked so efficiently they were asked to return for further assistance, having since cleaned out beneath the bleachers and other areas of the field as well.

The school has also been approached by members of the community who wish to volunteer their own time and power to help clean the field. To cover any potential liability issues involved with the work, the school has gone through Hands-on Disaster Relief, a global disaster assistance agency that has recently set up a mobile center near the fire hall, to recruit and organize a volunteer effort.

Anyone who is interested in volunteering to help clean Hillis Field was encouraged to visit the Hands-on Disaster Relief mobile center for more information, but Rinaldi noted that extra hands may soon be unnecessary.

“The good thing is that progress has been so remarkable that by Friday, we may be down to going out there with pumpers and pumping water out of [the under-the-field drainage unit] may be all that’s left,” he said.

It is too early to determine how useful the field may be for sports activities in the coming future. Part of the field has apparently been too choked by mud for grass to regrow and is planned to be reseeded. The composition of the soil beneath the mud has been encouraging, though.

“It does appear to be good topsoil, frankly,” Rinaldi said. “What they’ve taken out of there smells like good, green earth. Not all of it smells good … but the earth we’re taking out smells like good garden soil.”

Damage to the track still appears substantial, with a layer of mud sandwiched between it and the layer of asphalt beneath. It was uncertain during the meeting how well cleanup of that substance would proceed.

The tax warrant in the amount of $4,565,081 for the 2009-10 school year was adopted at the meeting ahead of the Sept. 1 state deadline. Rinaldi said that Silver Creek School Superintendent David O’Rourke has already sought assistance from the state similar to the Flood Relief Act of 2007, which granted affected counties at the time a financial pool of property tax relief. Rinaldi has issued letters to the same effect to state legislators.

In other matters:

Gowanda School has agreed to let St. Joseph’s private school use some of its refrigerator and preparation space to make box lunches for its students, as the St. Joseph cafeteria, located in the school’s basement area, was wiped out by the flood. The arrangement is expected to last about six school weeks.

Grace Dudek was appointed to a half time position in the special subject tenure area of Education of Children with Handicapping Conditions.

Charles Ross was appointed as JV Football Coach.

Tammy Bradigan and Nelson Felt were appointed as substitute school monitors; Nancy Smith was appointed as a substitute keyboard specialist; Andrew B. Lord and Jessica Hojnacki were appointed as substitute bus drivers and Jacquelyn Abers, Keri Hayden and Michelle Lulas were appointed as teaching assistants. Lulas subsequently resigned as a part time school monitor.

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HODR is proud to partner with Youth Movement Records (YMR) in presenting Wendy Darling in order to raise awareness and funds for our disaster response efforts that provide assistance to survivors of natural disasters around the world, with maximum impact and minimum bureaucracy. Special thanks to John Hancock for organizing this event!

Friday, August 14, 7PM – All ages are welcome!
19th Street Theater in the historic FOX, Oakland, CA
Tickets are only $10 and all proceeds benefit YMR and HODR.

Join HODR on Thursday, July 30 in San Francisco! Executive director David Campbell is in town and we’ll be hanging out at The Royal Exchange for drinks and food from 5PM to 8PM. Volunteers, friends – everyone’s welcome! We hope to see you there.

Unfortunately Marc and his mom won’t be there, but David, Jeremey, John, and Stefanie will be! The Royal Exchange is right in the financial district and is just a few blocks from BART. Street parking is available.

HODR at The Royal Exchange Thursday, July 30, 5PM – 8PM 301 Sacramento St, San Francisco, CA View Larger Map & Directions

Please RSVP to stef@hodr.org

If 100 people sign up as Monthly Donors at $10 each, together you will contribute $12,000 over 1 year – funding that can drywall 12 homes, build 24 HODR Half Homes or fully fund a month-long tornado response project!

And our anonymous donor will donate twice whatever you do through August – that’s an additional $8,000 through the match if 100 $10 Monthly Donors sign up now!

Please sign up today and join the 27 Monthly Donors who are already contributing monthly in a big way! Thank you for your support and for helping us reach our goal of 100 Monthly Donors!

Forward this video to family and friends to help us spread the word about HODR and this opportunity to triple your impact! Click here and select the ‘Forward’ option at the bottom of the new screen.

Join HODR on Friday, May 29 for our first Online All Hands Meeting, and on Saturday, May 30 to hang out in Boston!

As a new way to stay engaged with HODR volunteers and supporters we’re holding an Online All Hands Meeting – a live streaming video broadcast with chat capability for the HODR Team and the HODR Family to “talk” about all things HODR, wherever in the world you may be. So we don’t lose the human connection, the HODR Team will also be hanging out in Boston the evening of May 30th.