When the Saints and New Orleans Came Marching Back
Everyone knows what havoc and destruction Hurricane Katrina wrought on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. in 2005. But, when you live in relative shelter from nature's monster storms as we do here on the West Coast, it may be hard to fathom the full extent of this natural disaster. Many of those affected by Hurricane Katrina are still displaced, still searching for their roots, still trying to put the pieces back together.
I wanted to find out more about the rebuilding effort. The fact that we as a nation and the world’s greatest power could not respond adequately is a hard pill to swallow. But, whenever there is disaster, there is a uniting of people. I have seen that myself. In 1965 I was in New York during the Big Blackout. My dad walked from Manhattan to the Bronx, my husband slept on a table in a restaurant. My neighbors helped one another climb out of elevators. There was truly a feeling of "brotherhood" in NYC.
I was in Northern California in 1989 when the Loma Prieta earthquake hit. Again, I felt the compassion of the nation and the world and the coming together of everyone in the SF Bay Area as we all looked for ways to deal with unfolding, shocking, reality.
I had just left NYC on 9/9/01 after attending my father's funeral and thus just missed the 911 horror. We have all seen the images; we have all felt the pain, the fear, and the camaraderie in the wake of disaster.
Having never been to New Orleans I have no point of reference. But there are many who have a thorough understanding of the far-reaching implication and effects of Hurricane Katrina, not only on New Orleans, but on the Gulf Coast as a whole. They led the way for me as I sought to understand the aftermath of Katrina and the outreach of three organizations: the NFL, the New Orleans Saints, and Rebuilding Together.
It was an experience I will not soon forget.
Coming Home
Everywhere you go, everyone you see and talk to has felt the impact of Katrina and the breach of the levee in some way. There is a lot of anger. Anger towards the federal government, anger towards FEMA, anger towards the insurance companies, who after a year and a half have still not paid up.
The community is never going to be the same, they say. Many who left out of necessity have chosen to stay away. There are others who are fiercely loyal and refuse to abandon their roots, their families, friends and neighborhoods.
Exiled and displaced are words not normally used to describe American citizens. But, the people of the Gulf Coast have become refugees in their own country.
This is a story about toughness, spirit, heart and compassion. The Rebuilding of New Orleans is about the coming together of people from all over our nation to lend a helping hand to our own.
The NFL
The world of sports may seem like an unlikely place to start this story, but the resurgence of the New Orleans Saints, perennial NFL losers, has captured the heart and soul of not only New Orleans, but of this football loving nation. Their success and their role in the recovery of New Orleans is an integral part of the Rebuilding of New Orleans.
I had the distinct pleasure of meeting with Dennis Lauscha, Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer for the New Orleans Saints at their facility in Metairie, Louisiana on Friday December 1. The emotion and sincerity with which he spoke can not be fully captured in writing.
The Saints Came Marching Back
IR: There is a special fund, the New Orleans Hurricane Relief Fund established by the Saints owner, Tom Benson. I have also been told that the NFL has played a significant role when this hurricane ravaged the area, especially to try and get the team back in the Super Dome as they were also displaced by the hurricane and last season played many of their games in other places. From your perspective how have the Saints responded to this rebuilding effort?
