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The true spirit of the
season
Dear Valued Client,
The holidays are a time of giving, but the devastation wrought in
the Gulf Coast by this year's hurricane season allowed the whole
country to exercise their generosity early! We have been touched and
inspired by stories of communities and individuals leaping at the
chance to help those in need, and thought you might like to hear a
few stories too. Because we work by referral, we are connected to a
national network of like-minded professionals who passed along some
amazing tales of ordinary people giving of themselves in
extraordinary ways.
We see it in the Finnegan family of San Mateo, California. John and
Therese Finnegan traveled to Richmond, Texas where they helped find
housing for a displaced family who escaped from New Orleans with
only the clothes on their backs. The Finnegans arranged for eight
rental units to me made available, rent-free for a year, to the
family--all 45 of them.
From around the nation, families, groups, communities, and
individuals have extended helping hands to people whose lives have
been uprooted, battered, and scattered by Katrina. This month's Item
of Value highlights several such ordinary people whom disaster
turned into heroes. Benton Gibson and sons led by example in
repairing their community. Dan Bogojevich drove hundreds of miles to
deliver supplies to New Orleans shelters twice, the second time
riding out Rita with evacuees in a church. Katherine Breig worked
from her home to rescue pets left behind and reunite them with
owners. Lisa Vitello acquired a new family when she opened her home
to evacuees.
These inspirational stories remind us in the holiday season that
giving can be about so much more than traditional store-bought
presents. This year, consider digging deep into your special
reserve-yourself- to find gifts that both honor the need of the
recipient and reflect the heart of the giver. You may be surprised
to discover how much you have to give!Read on below to hear some
heart-warming tales. And, by the way...if you know of someone who is
thinking of buying or selling a home, and would appreciate the level
of service I provide, please call me with their name and contact
information, and I will be happy to follow-up and take great care of
them.
Sincerely,
 Sherry
Rich, REALTOR(r)
Sales Agent, RE/MAX Hall of Fame
Accredited Buyer Representative, Certified Relocation Professional,
Certified Residential Specialist, Graduate REALTORS Institute
When mother nature's
at her worst, human nature is at its best
The hurricanes that devastated the Gulf
Coast in 2005 caused a humanitarian crisis not seen in the United
States since the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. As we
contemplate the grim statistics of lives lost and disrupted, it's
important to know that many people saw the devastation as an
opportunity to serve others. Here are four examples of ordinary
people from around the country who jumped at the chance to help
those in need by raising money, transporting supplies, sharing homes
and generally, working hard.
These inspiring individuals were transformed from "regular folks"
into heroes. We hope reading their stories will light up your
holidays!
Riding out the storm
together
"This whole experience gave me an opportunity to
take a step back...Life is not about material possessions. It's
about people and family." -Dan Bogojevich, LTC (Ret.) USAR,
Chicago, Illinois
Dan Bogojevich of Chicago, Illinois, quickly grew tired of watching
news coverage of the disaster in the Gulf states and decided to do
something about it. He and a friend loaded up a large truck with
food, water and clothing and drove to Louisiana.
He was directed to the Office of Emergency Preparedness at the Baton
Rouge airport, where he met the mayor of Zachery, a small town of
2,500 that had taken in 2,000 evacuees. As Dan unloaded his
truckload of supplies at one of Zachery's shelters, he said, "There
was a feeling of cheer and cooperation among the people. They told
me that they were happy to have each other and were overjoyed to
know people around the country were willing to help."
On September 22, Dan drove from Chicago with a second truckload of
much-needed supplies, arriving in Baton Rouge just hours before
Hurricane Rita made landfall. He joined the rest of the community in
Miracle Place Church to brace for the storm. "I was amazed at the
serenity inside that church despite a hurricane raging all around
us," he says. "We knew that all 350 of us -- black and white, old
and young, men and women -- were in this together."
Stepping in and stepping up
"I'm proud of how we reacted as a community."
-Benton Gibson, McComb, Mississippi
When the winds of Hurricane Katrina finally subsided
in McComb, Mississippi, the Gibson family found a massive tree
uprooted from the ground and punching through the side of their
house. Benton Gibson then drove to his two offices to check on
co-workers, and at one office he found a tree teetering atop the
roof.
But Benton Gibson is not one to let setbacks stand in his was.
Assessing the damage to the family home as "minimal," he turned his
attention to the community. Rallying his four sons, ages 21 to 31,
the Gibson team got to work scouring the neighborhood for tools.
Then they went house to house clearing trees, cleaning debris and
rebuilding rooftops. For weeks, their neighborhood relief efforts
were made without phones or electricity. With the help of other
citizens, the Gibson family cleared county roads, helped police
direct traffic while traffic lights were out, and organized the
housing of displaced individuals in churches and schools.
The Gibson family stepped up to serve their community by setting an
example of tireless work and collaboration in the face of disaster.
No creatures left behind
"In a time of uncertainty and chaos, the greatest
gift we can give one another is compassion, understanding and love
-- the gift of ourselves. Knowing that a stranger is reaching out
from miles away, giving themselves, is how we begin healing and
moving forward." -Katherine Breig,
Templeton, California
One of the many faces of tragedy from Hurricane
Katrina was the separation of loved ones--including pets from their
owners. Many evacuees were unable to take their pets with them,
resulting in thousands of homeless animals in desperate need of
food, shelter, medical care, and comfort. When Katherine Breig of
Templeton, California, learned of the magnitude of the problem, she
got to work. A board member of the local Humane Society chapter,
Katherine worked alongside other animal advocates to organize the
rescue and fostering of these pets until the time of reuniting them
with their original owners became possible. In addition to placing
dogs and cats in safe, loving homes (Katherine adopted one kitty
herself), she has also raised money to pay for veterinary care for
rescued animals.
As of late September, more than 6,000 animals have been rescued and
400 reunited with owners, according to the Humane Society. Much work
remains to be done, but with the help of animal lovers like
Katherine, evacuees separated from their pets during this holiday
season can take comfort in knowing they're in good hands.
Her passion for helping others is why Katherine made real estate her
career, and helping people's animals seemed a natural way to show
that she cares.
Reaching out and discovering treasure
within
Although she lives far from the path of Hurricane
Katrina, the storm hurled Lisa Vitello of Marietta, Georgia, into a
whirlwind of action to help those who lost their homes. Just by
opening her door, Lisa transformed her modest townhouse into a have
of refuge for two single moms from New Orleans.
Co-workers at the New Orleans 911 dispatch center, these displaced
women were working the graveyard shift when the water began to rise.
They made their way across the city in boats and on foot, moving
from one dangerous situation to another, finally hitching a ride to
safety...in Atlanta. They found their way to a hotel, and were
preparing for their journey home to reunite with family, when Lisa
and her circle of friends stepped in to lend a hand. They provided
the two families with clothes, hugs and home-cooked meals, and in
addition, quickly raised money for airfare so they could return to
New Orleans to retrieve what remained of their belongings.
Back home, the women found themselves trapped again--this time by
Hurricane Rita. The women called Lisa, who drove her SUV to the
rescue to help them pack their belongings.
In Marietta, Lisa invited one of the mothers and her daughter to
stay with her--allowing them to get back on their feet. (The other
woman moved to Texas to be with her family.) The daughter is back in
school, and Lisa has energized her circle to help the newcomers by
setting up job interviews and raising money to fund their new life.
As she reflected on this story, Lisa was struck by how many
resources she didn't know she had until they were called upon. A
committed sponsor of healthcare fundraisers, she discovered a whole
new level of generosity, resilience, perseverance and care within
herself and her friends.
What you can do
You can brighten the holidays and bring joy to children whose homes
and lives were devastated by the hurricanes. Children's Network
International is putting together Christmas parties for kids in New
Orleans, Bay St. Louis, and Gulfport. Go to
www.childrensnetworkinternational.org
and click on "Make
a Donation." In the comments section, write "Katrina
Christmas Parties." Happy Giving!
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