tree jobs

For the past week or so we've been doing tree removal jobs - taking down and removing dead trees killed by Katrina. These trees are problematic for a couple of reasons. For one, there's the potential of them falling on people's FEMA trailers or houses once rebuilt. Secondly, the area is very dry and at risk of forest fires.

Last week we did a tree job in Long Beach for an incredible couple, Jane and Jim. The couple has experienced a very difficult year between Katrina and the loss of each of their mothers. Luckily their house, because it is brick, structurally survived the storm more or less. With four feet of water and roof damage they have been working on their house for the past seven months. They hope to be back in their home within the month. But, aside from the damage to the house itself, what used to be an immaculate back yard was filled with standing and fallen dead trees which came very close to the house. It was an absolute mess of dead dry tangled wood.
Jane contacted the fire department, her alderman and even the mayor whom all noted a severe fire hazard. But she couldn't find anyone who would remove the trees for her until someone from Hope Haven recommended us. With a few days' work our team was able to remove about 15 trees and clear the hazardous area away from her house. After showing Ann and me the before and after pictures of her home's damage from Katrina Jane cried while thanking us for our team's work. It is people like her who make this work worth doing. Some of my friends don't understand why I would offer to do manual labor outside in 90 degree heat in a longsleeve shirt for no pay. Jane is why. She has kept addresses and pictures of every volunteer who has helped her and Jim with their home. With the incredibly difficult year she has gone through, she is an inspiration of hope.

On Monday Jen, Marianne, and Bill Jr scouted another tree job. This homeowner had just found out he hadn't received as much through a loan to rebuild as he had expected. This man has to rebuild from scratch - nothing of his house was salvageable. Aside from the cost of rebuilding he had about 10 very large - 60-80 feet tall - dead pine trees on his property. A private tree removal company would have charged $800 per tree. Yesterday our team of 5 removed 8 of the trees. We have an appointment with the power company on Monday to temporarily drop the power lines while we cut down the last two trees so that they have room to fall without causing any damage.
The Isles is an area which is within the county but just outside of the town limits. For this reason it is not receiving as much aid as other areas. It still looks as bad as many areas did when I was down here in January. There is still a sheriff check-point to ensure that only homeowners and workers enter the area. Some homes were very recently bulldozed and removed. Families are still rummaging through their lots for possessions. It is a shock to drive through the Isles and see that it is in such bad shape 10 months after Katrina hit.

It seems like a frill to care about trees when there's not even the foundation of a house on the property. But once that house is rebuilt it will mean the world to those who live in it. And when one of those trees can easily fall and go right through a house just with a bad wind storm, it makes me very grateful that Persevere has the equipment and experience to be able to help where people are being overlooked.

the first few days....

I've only been down here in Pass Christian five days. But things are going so smoothly with Persevere and our full-time crew that it feels like I've been here forever. Our homebase is definitely coming along and at a point where although not fully finished it is definitely functional for us to live and work from, and therefore be able to focus our energies with other projects around the area. This place has come a long way since the first week in April when we were down here building it.
The weekend is our time to get things done in the office and clean up around our place. So the first couple of days I was here I helped set up a few databases for our work orders and volunteer information. WebEx donated a WebOffice site to us which is already proving very helpful in keeping things in order and maintaining our sanity. The past few days I have been working building office and storage space with the rest of the crew at Hope Haven, a shelter for abused children. Hope Haven has not been functional since the storm, but with much excitement will reopen this Friday.
Everyone that I've come into contact with here is just so friendly and open I really feel welcome to be down here for this coming year. So, aside from being plagued by air mattress malfuctions, Mississippi has been treating me well.