Something Can Be Done About It - Hurricane Katrina

My biggest win is that I found out that I could do something about it. I have seen several disasters and watched and financially supported our Scientology Volunteer Minister efforts. I had not until now had the guts to do something myself. The emails were pouring out looking to Volunteer Ministers to go to Louisiana. My attitude was the same old "someone else will do it" and "I have obligations at home to my family and work so I just couldn't get away". Deep down I was not happy with this attitude. Something was wrong and it was more than just the gravity of this disaster. I don't think we as a nation even had a grasp of the magnitude of damage that Hurricane Katrina had caused. So I changed my consideration to "maybe I could do something about it" and started really looking at this. It wasn't long before I had decided to go. On making that decision, I was really a Scientologist and proud and anxious to get started. I still had to get an okay from my employer (United Pacific Mortgage) to go off for a week. This was initially met with "wouldn't you be in the way?" and "isn't is dangerous?" I then explained the Volunteer Minister activities in other disasters and how we work with local authorities and the Red Cross. He was then all for it. I needed to finish some tasks so went to work the next day. That morning my manager sent an email to the owner of the company who in turn forwarded it out to the entire company with the comment, "I am so proud that Alan works at this firm." I then got dozens of emails of praise and I had not even done anything yet except decide to help! Then a co-worker gave my $20 for gas. I was happy to have it but was willing to bear the cost myself. He then decided that other staff might like to contribute. He put a box on my desk and sent an email to the entire company announcing this and the money started pouring in. When it was all said and done, I had $2800 in donations. After arriving in Baton Rouge it really got going. It was a win to see so many others who also had the guts to do something about it. Every day the production was like a week. Yes the work was hard at times. But production is the basis of morale and we had no lack of morale. The satisfaction of the smile on someone's face after an assist would have been thank you enough. But the people of this area were really grateful for our help and made many efforts to thank us. Commonly we would be stopped on our way and a Sheriff would thank us. My tasks were in a medical Volunteer Minister unit assigned to the East Jefferson Parish Motor Pool. This was where all rescue workers in the East Jefferson Parish were being feed and took shift changes as well as take care of their car maintenance and fuel. We were giving assists, tetanus shots and providing first aid. It was always busy at meal times and shift changes. During the quiet times we made ourselves useful by finding something that needed attention and just pitching in and handling it. This ranged from sweeping up an area to emptying trash cans and cleaning up in the dining area. This type of help was well received. There are many other stories that can be shared. To say that I am glad I helped is and understatement. To say that others are glad we as Volunteer Ministers helped is also an understatement. We have been called a heroes for this small act. But the truth is there is more to be done and I would be proud if you too would go and do something about it too!

Alan Perry