Community to Community by Carol Wolman
Community to Community by Carol Wolman
Mendocino is a small impoverished rural community in Northern California, far away from the flood waters inundating Louisiana and Mississippi. Yet we are doing what we can to help.
Our local Veterans for Peace (VfP) group has set up a kitchen and camp near Covington LA, supported entirely by contributions from the Mendocino community. They have named their spot Camp Casey, in honor of Casey Sheehan, a soldier killed in Iraq. Here's how the chapter president, Patrick Tate, describes what they are doing:
This is a community which has been hit hard by Katrina. The white
half of the community has been getting help with little going to the poor
and black community (MRE's). We have no cell phone service here and are dependent entirely on our internet access through the (VfP) bus satellite system.
It is apparent that we have a mountain to move here, but the community is
beginning to pull together with us. We have taken over their park with
their help and are helping each other out. People have brought out rakes
and other tools to clean up and make our own space "People's Park". The
sense of community is astounding, everyone comes looking for a handout
and we tell them we want them to pull together with us and they are doing it.
half of the community has been getting help with little going to the poor
and black community (MRE's). We have no cell phone service here and are dependent entirely on our internet access through the (VfP) bus satellite system.
It is apparent that we have a mountain to move here, but the community is
beginning to pull together with us. We have taken over their park with
their help and are helping each other out. People have brought out rakes
and other tools to clean up and make our own space "People's Park". The
sense of community is astounding, everyone comes looking for a handout
and we tell them we want them to pull together with us and they are doing it.
Luke 10: 27 Love thy neighbour as thyself.
The federal government under Bush has shown its unwillingness or inability to aid the flood victims in a timely manner, and what aid it does give out is racially biased, according to Pat's letter. This has to be a people to people effort- Bush has made it abundantly clear that he has no heart for those suffering.
I plan to ask our Fort Bragg City Council to officially adopt the town of Covington, LA, and raise money for community groups such as VfP who wish to go there and help out. If every city and town in the US which is not affected by Katrina would adopt a community in the flooded area, we would be able to help in a neighbor-to-neighbor way. We would also show the world that America has not yet lost its soul entirely.
In the name of the Prince of Peace, Carol Wolman
posted by carol wolman @ 8:35 AM
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