Project: Katrina Hope…raise funds…raise walls…raise spirits

I’m not known for my patience. I like things to happen the moment I dream them up. In fact, the following quote from Lance Armstrong is one of my favorites:

Patience is a polite quality and often appropriate, but it rarely gets things done. Impatience, however, is the hunger for results and intolerance for excuses and delays.

Therefore, it has been shocking to myself and to my friends and family that I have waited an entire year to complete this documentary…and I’m still awaiting the conclusion. It seems that for once, though, being patient has been worth it for me. Patience allowed me several trips to the Gulf Coast to hear the stories of men and women, young and old, who have dealt with Katrina firsthand. Patience granted me the ability to edit the documentary at a slow, but meticulous pace. And patience has been the key toward dealing with several major setbacks of the documentary.

Now, I can be impatient again, though, because the documentary will be completely finished in less than a week! I’m itching to have it completed, sitting in lovely dvd cases, waiting to be shipped out to locations across the country and throughout Europe. Just hang in there a bit longer, Project: Katrina Hope supporters. We’ve almost done it.

Posted on August 7th, 2008 by Gretchen Wieland
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We’re moving forward on the documentary every day.  I spend several hours a night after work and multiple hours on the weekends bringing 14 hours of footage to life (no, the documentary will not be 14 hours–nor even one full hour).  Though the task to complete this story on deadline sometimes seems a bit daunting, I am rejuvenated each day when I get to relive the stories of success from the Gulf Coast, told through residents and volunteers.  I am hopeful that you will feel the same through this documentary.

In a small change, the “snail mail” donation address will soon be located in a different state, but Project: Katrina Hope will keep you updated.  The address change is necessary as I relocate to Europe but wish to make the transition simple for our awesome donors.  PayPal donations are still the most convenient way to donate, though, as several recent supporters of the organization can attest to.   

Just one month until the hard work comes to fruition!

With hope,

Gretchen

Posted on July 19th, 2008 by Gretchen Wieland
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The past two days in New Orleans have taught me what it means to be on both the giving and receiving ends. First, one would be surprised how often Project: Katrina Hope was the recipient of compliments this week. Residents and volunteers have been very excited about the work we’re doing and are extremely impressed by the people who support us. I can’t help but beam when I tell them that, after sending out a call for reinforcements last year, I was overwhelmed with generous people. The mission of Project: Katrina Hope is spreading quickly.

Dale Kimball gave me a positive picture yesterday. This executive director of the Southeast Louisiana Disaster Recovery Ministry has seen a lot of volunteers come through New Orleans-52,000, to be exact. Many of these are repeat visitors, but they provide a constant source of energy and the ability to raise the spirits of the residents who appear to have lost hope. It’s difficult not to feel motivated after speaking with him.

I returned to St. Bernard Parish twice in the last day to learn more about giving and taking. I met with Sharon, a homeowner who lost everything, to hear her story. Sharon has also been used to giving as a mother and “adopted mother” for many of her neighbors’ children. Katrina has taught her, though, what it means to receive the love and hard work of numerous volunteers. She is so ecstatic to be moving out of her FEMA trailer and into her home in a matter of weeks, and she thanks the volunteers on every possible occasion.

This morning, I visited the crew from St. Paul’s in Indiana to see what progress they had made on their house in Violet. Hundreds of screws and dozens of pieces of drywall later, this still-motivated group gave the homeowners walls in which to distinguish their rooms.

Jeff and I took time this morning to meet with Bruce Nolan, a reporter from the Times-Picayune who focuses on the faith-based organizations that recruit volunteers to rebuild. He gave us a perspective of how astonished most residents were that the stream of volunteers has continued at this pace almost three years after Katrina. We at Project: Katrina Hope are doing what we can to ensure that this flow continues for years to come.

Finally, Jeff gave me a new taste of New Orleans culture by treating me to raw oysters at the Acme Oyster House. I quickly took to the salty mush in the half-shells and was delighted to take in a new bit of the culture.

My mother and I will be eating at Bon Ton Café tonight (remembering all of you from my hometown in Illinois) and driving back tomorrow after another incredible week. Then, it will be time to get to work, bringing the Project: Katrina Hope documentary to life, once and for all. I can’t wait to give you a glimpse of what I’ve been seeing in the past year.

With hope,
Gretchen

Posted on June 27th, 2008 by Gretchen Wieland
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In addition to the refreshment some rain provided, driving to Mississippi today to film a group from Michigan gave me a refreshing perspective on Katrina’s scope. Most of the documentary has, up until this point, focused on volunteers in New Orleans and surrounding parishes. However, seeing this church group work with Camp Victor in Ocean Springs reminded me how necessary volunteers are to the entire region.

Despite a few setbacks, the Michigan group was incredibly efficient in helping the neighborhoods clean up. The first crew I followed painted and cleaned up the yard of a home for the city, and the second crew worked to restore a 108-year-old home to its pre-Katrina status. The strong work ethic of both of these teams was admirable, and the age range (from high school to adult) proved to be proficient.

On my way back to New Orleans, I stopped in Bay St. Louis, Miss., to visit Lagniappe Presbyterian Church. One of the AmeriCorps team members told me about the volunteer work this church coordinates for that region, and it was refreshing to see so much enthusiasm to help the community. Pastor Jean Larroux told me about the groups who came from all over the world to stay at Lagniappe and rebuild the area, and they left their mark (literally) on Bay St. Louis. Each team creates a sign showing where they are from and the distance from their home to their temporary housing at the church. Lagniappe is housed in an old warehouse and is doing some incredible work.

With hope,
Gretchen

Posted on June 25th, 2008 by Gretchen Wieland
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This evening served as an acute reminder of why Project: Katrina Hope is here. Paul Perez, one of the residents of St. Bernard Parish, cooked dinner for all of the volunteers working with the St. Bernard Project this week, and it turned into a special evening of sharing. After serving the more than 150 volunteers, Mr. Perez presented a video slideshow and narration of his story (of attempting to clean and rebuild his damaged home) and gratitude for all that the volunteers have done to help his family and all of the Gulf Coast. The volunteers and myself were very touched by his gesture of thanksgiving, and it really reminded everyone that their work makes a great difference in the community.

I was fortunate enough to speak with Mr. Perez after most of the people had left, and it really struck a chord with what our organization is attempting to accomplish. He urged me to focus on the appreciation of the residents for all that the volunteers had done for them, and he made a statement that rings true with so many residents of the region. “I wish the volunteers could stand in my shoes and feel the love I have received from them. I’m lucky that this all happened to me.”

It is amazing how grateful the residents are for all of the work being done here, and this evening was an incredibly uplifting experience for all of the volunteers. Even more exciting is that I will be able to share this story with all of you and with many more people across the nation, hopefully inspiring others to come down and be a part of the positive growth of the region.

With hope,
Gretchen

Posted on June 24th, 2008 by Gretchen Wieland
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