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The Giving Circle, Inc. Working with The Giving Circle, Inc. on-site Waveland representative, we have devised a Needs Assessment Form to help in the prioritization of assistance to the Waveland residents who need assistance. She is a 24 year-old mother of two small children, whose home was severely damaged by Katrina's 35-foot storm surge. She, her husband, and the children are now living in a FEMA camper. The Giving Circle recently nominated her for a new home to be built by a Pennsylvania Church group. She won the award, and her new home will be built in March 2007. Members of The Giving Circle, Inc. plan to volunteer in the rebuilding of her home. Sponsorship of Hancock County Girls' Softball League: Giving Circle Corporate Sponsors funded six of the ten teams in the League in March 2006 and The Giving Circle purchased League uniforms and equipment lost in Hurricane Katrina. The Write-a-Thon Project: School children, sponsored at a nickel a word, wrote to their counterparts in Waveland and funded the purchase of educational software for the Waveland Elementary School. Sponsored Beach Clean-Up, including the distribution of thousands of flower seeds, Spring Festival, and Easter Egg Hunt, April, 2006 May 2, 2006, Saratoga Springs Mayor Keehn with the support of The Saratoga Springs City Council issued a Proclamation declaring Waveland, Mississippi and Saratoga Springs, New York to be Sister Cities to help raise awareness of the disaster that still exists in Waveland and help with the relief efforts for Waveland in Saratoga Springs. Pave The Wave Home Rebuilding Program: A check was given by Mayor Valerie Keehn for The Giving Circle to a Waveland family for site preparation for a new home to be funded by further collections from The Giving Circle, October 2006. Pave The Wave is an ongoing program to help rebuild Waveland one house at a time. A Saratoga Middle School had its own fund-raiser: "Hats On Days" (students paid $1 to wear hats in school) raised $$$ for home rebuilding in Waveland. Operation Waveland Christmas: Program to collect gift cards or funds to purchase gift cards to be sent to Waveland for Holiday purchases at local vendors. Visits to Waveland by Members of The Giving Circle, Inc.: 1. March 2006 Fact Finding and Awareness Raising. Four members met with on site representative, Waveland Mayor Tommy Longo and other City and School officials. 2. October 5-10, 2006: Volunteer Effort. Using our own Needs Assessment forms and the City of Waveland work orders, The Giving Circle volunteers were involved in salvage and rehabilitation of homes destroyed/damaged by Katrina, and assisting the City of Waveland in clearing and preparing storage sites. They also participated in Waveland's Wavefest celebration helping to improve the quality of life. A total of 17 volunteers from New York, Pennsylvania, and California joined Waveland resident volunteers in this project. Waveland Mayor Tommy Longo gave The Giving Circle a Certificate of Appreciation for its volunteer efforts, and proclaimed “October 7, 2006 Saratoga Springs Day In Waveland, Mississippi” in appreciation for the Sister City effort in helping their community recover. 3. October 28, 2006: The Giving Circle's third visit to Waveland. The Giving Circle's founder traveled to Waveland and was joined by two other local volunteers to salvage and demolish a structure destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The structure was used by a Waveland resident as a combination home and volunteer radio broadcast station (WQRZ). He is a local hero as he stayed on the air during Katrina and broadcast life-saving emergency information. The demolition was a first stage in reconstruction process of his home and broadcast station. This project took place on “Make A Difference Day” sponsored by USA Weekend and appears on their website, (http://usaweekend.com/diffday).
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