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Like a Great Phoenix
Glenda Plunkett, Special to RedCross.org, Mid-Illinois Chapter
Friday, December 23, 2005 — PEARLINGTON, Miss. – Many consider Pearlington to be the epicenter of Katrina’s destruction in Mississippi. The town was ripped apart by the ravages of the hurricane, flooding and some 37 tornadoes spawned devastating storm.
It seems the hardest hit by disasters are often those who can afford it the least. The town of Pearlington is no exception. The only building considered structurally sound in town was the Charles Murphy Elementary School. It was here that its citizens converged to regroup and begin to put back the pieces of their shattered community.
Down but not out, the town of Pearlington, Miss., bids welcome. (Photo Credit: American Red Cross) |
As if a great phoenix, the community began its rise from the devastation. Local church members brought everything they could find or spare to the school in an effort to help those who came out of the storm with less. Cereal, blankets, sleeping bags and other items that survived the storm poured into the school which quickly became a makeshift shelter to the less fortunate.
“Forty-six of the local population did not evacuate,” according to local volunteer fireman Thomas Dean, III. For eight residents, that became a fatal decision, but the survivors pulled together.”
The scars of the storm remain in the community; however, amid piles of debris an indomitable community spirit grows more each day.
Rev. "Bush" Burton stands in front of the tree that saved his life from floodwaters. (Photo Credit: American Red Cross) |
“Southerners are strong people. We are brothers and we help each other,” said retired Pastor “Bush” Burton, himself having survived Katrina’s floodwater by clinging to an oak tree as the forceful current blasted the town with waves and debris. Burton clung to the tree for the next 12 hours, then found his home and church gone.
The next few Sundays the faithful congregated in front of the former First Missionary Baptist
Church built in 1813, now destroyed by the hurricane. Their church fell victim to the hurricane, but not their faith.
Most residents have returned to their homes or at least their properties. They can be found with tents or FEMA trailers in their front yards as they continue to rebuild their tiny community. But, the distraught town could not rebuild on its own. It needed help. Relief agencies poured in to make the difference.
The American Red Cross is working along side the residents in Pearlington for the town’s recovery. Volunteers have been on the job to provide support for the shelter, the health clinic and mental health services. Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) frequent the town to deliver meals. Henry’s Kitchen is on the scene to provide healthy meals to the residents and relief workers.
Henry’s Kitchen first sponsored 200 meals to the community. Those numbers soon grew to over 1,000. Children are receiving a hot breakfast before getting on the bus in the morning. Parents of those kids are then encouraged to eat a hot meal and take meals in clamshells to those at home.
“At first it was apparent these were a proud people. They didn’t want to leave what was left of their homes,” Red Cross volunteer, Kim Reardon, of Harrington, Park, N.J., said. “Now they are allowing our help. Our kitchen is feeding more people each day. The health clinic is seeing more clients daily. I believe that good will come from the devastation; these people will have better resources than before. ”
Glenda Plunkett is with the Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross. She is a member of the Red Cross Rapid Response Team currently deployed to Biloxi, Miss.
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the Midwest ice storms, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.
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