May 31, 2007
The Giving Circle returns home after sponsoring a Wellness Week and Rebuilding Efforts in Waveland, MS.Rebuilding: WLOX (ABC) TV reporter Al Showers, lost his home to Hurricane Katrina when it ravaged the beautiful little ocean side cities of Waveland-Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Al, like many others, made plans to rebuild. Unfortunately, his unscrupulous out-of-state contractor walked out on him the day he was supposed to begin framing the house, taking all the money Al had set aside for rebuilding, and leaving Mississippi.Al was left with no resources to re-build his home. Al Showers is a special friend of The Giving Circle, Inc. Since Saratoga Springs Mayor Valerie Keehn first announced the adoption of Waveland, MS. as Saratoga's Sister City, Al has been coming to Saratoga to cover all of our fundraising events for Waveland. Just this past February, Al was the King at the Saratoga Springs Mardi Gras Festival, held to raise awareness and funds for the rebuilding efforts in Waveland.When The Giving Circle heard of his plight, we immediately assembled a team of experienced home-builders and traveled to Mississippi to help Al build his home. Teaming up with a group of men from Louisiana who laid the logs of Al's log home-to-be, the house was closed in with walls completed and roofed within a week of the arrival of The Giving Circle. This was a challenge as the log home is fourteen feet off the ground and at its peak sits approximately thirty-five feet above the ground to help avoid flooding.Unfortunately, Al's story is not unique and many in the Gulf region, who were victims of the Hurricanes, are now becoming victims again, this time of unscrupulous business practices. Imagine, if a well-known local news reporter faces these challenges, what must it be like for the average citizen with little or no means who is attempting to rebuild.We have been asked on several occasions -Why? Why do you do this? Who are these people to you? I am sure I speak for all of us at TGC when I say that we derive great pleasure out of helping those in need, and consider it a privilege to do so. We are fortunate to be in a position to help when and where we can, and do so, not because of some 'reward', but because we see another human being in need. Compassion for someone in need is like a parent's love, unconditional.Wellness Week in Waveland: This week (May 29-June 3). TGC has coordinated the efforts of numerous domestic violence counselors and mental health professionals to conduct workshops and provide information about their services to people in need. Many of the Waveland residents still living with the aftermath of Katrina have been suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and incidents of domestic violence have been increasing as people grow increasingly frustrated with inaction and are forced to live in close quarters in their FEMA campers. A Wellness Festival following the workshops is planned to include an exchange of health related information in an uplifting, fun setting."Wellness is not something you serve on a plate nor is it acquired with hammer and nails. Encouraging a healthy population is critical to creating a healthy community. People should be aware of and be able to easily access the resources available to them," stated Ray Simboli, a Giving Circle Board Member and coordinator of Wellness Week in Waveland. "People are just not getting the basic services they need. We all need to do a little more."For more information and photos, or to get involved please visit our web-site http://www.thegivingcircle.org
Peace,RonRonald Maenza,President, The Giving Circle, Inc.