Spirit of Calabasas group helps hurricane victims

UNDERGROUND PARKING—It’s a tight squeeze for this car as it sits crushed by a home that collapsed during Hurricane Katrina. Envoys from Calabasas who went to Louisiana to deliver emergency supplies developed a deep sense of respect for the local townspeople, who are now trying to recover. Officials from the city of Calabasas and the newly founded support group Spirit of Calabasas Foundation returned recently from a 3,800-mile round trip to Plaquemines Parish in Louisiana where they donated about 100 boxes of office equipment, computers and other supplies to the townspeople and their needy school district.

The parish, which is south of New Orleans and juts into the Gulf of Mexico, was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

The Spirit of Calabasas obtained the items during a community collection drive held last month at city hall.

The Calabasas officials said their trip to Louisiana left them in awe and convinced them to do all they can to help the Plaquemines residents cope with their situation.

“Even three months later, the devastation is all around you and emotions for this community are still raw,” said Red Godfrey, Spirit of Calabasas president. “There was not a soul we met that had not been affected.”

DOWNLOADING—Calabasas employee Jason Mier prepares a computer for delivery to LouisianaCalabasas Media Operations Director Deborah Steller, who made the visit to Plaquemines Parish to document the trip for CTV, the Calabasas cable access channel, said previous media coverage failed to prepare her for what she saw firsthand.

“It’s really hard to describe in words—or pictures—the level of destruction caused by the hurricanes,” Steller said. “In Plaquemines, there were about 40 miles of total devastation and

destruction, mile after mile after mile of pads where houses used to be, houses in the roadhouses on cars, houses thafloated across the MississippRiver, mold-soaked belongingsterrible smells permeating everything, dead animals, cars in trees, houses in trees, empty graves where coffins had floated away.”

In the 9th Ward and in St. Bernard’s Parish in New Orleans, there are entire neighborhoods— thousands of houses—that must to be gutted or destroyed, Steller said. “People just seem shell shocked, three months later, trying to figure out an exit strategy of some sort.”

Steller said the trip gave her a new appreciation for what the hurricane victims are going through.

Godfrey said the Calabasas excursion made a big impact on Plaquemines Parish.

“Benny Rousselle, parish president, and Superintendent Hoyle of the school district, confirmed we were the first group to offer assistance and actually follow through,” Godfrey said.

“The fact we actually went there to show support was commented on by many, many of the people we met. . . . When dropping off the supplies, it was humbling to hear Superintendent Hoyle become emotional. He felt they had been forgotten by the rest of the world, and this show of support from our community made them realize they were not alone.”

Godfrey said the visit to one of the district’s elementary schools brought her emotions into sharp focus.

“How do you look a child in the eyes and not get tearful when she tells you her house exploded and there is nothing left?” Godfrey said.

The Spirit of Calabasas Foundation is already looking ahead to the next effort to help Plaquemines Parish.

“We made a promise to this community that we’re going to be on the long haul with them, that they were not going to be yesterday’s news,” Godfrey said. “With this in mind, the parish showed us around a senior day care facility, which is being used as an animal shelter for those people who have no homes to take their pets.

“This facility needs to be restored to its original use, it needs cleaning and some structural repairs, and then a good makeover,” Godfrey said

Over the next few weeks, the Spirit of Calabasas Foundation will work on the logistics of restoring the facility. The foundation will announce its plans at the first Calabasas City Council meeting in January, Godfrey said.

Meanwhile, CTV will air documentary programming to tell viewers about the plight of the New Orleans parish.

“Our goal is to help the Spirit of Calabasas show people the devastating effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the community that Calabasas has been paired with, Plaquemines Parish,” Steller said. “Once people actually see what an enormous task rebuilding an entire community is, I think they’ll be motivated to get involved and help make a difference.”

For more information about the Spirit of Calabasas Foundation, go to www.spiritofcalabasas.org.