Waveland Mayor Tommy Longo hosted Saratoga Springs Mayor Valerie Keehn during her volunteering visit to the stricken Gulf Coast city.  Mayor Keehn said she was “speechless” on viewing the destruction still visible over a year after Katrina’s wrath.

The Giving Circle Vice President for Operations was interviewed by WLOX TV reporter Al Showers.  In the background is the destroyed home of radio station WQRZ producer-founder, Brice Phillips.  The Giving Circle volunteers subsequently conducted a salvage operation of material from the wreckage.

Mayor Keehn took part in the presentation of a check to Barbara and Richard, an elderly Waveland couple as payment for home site preparation. This was the first step in The Giving Circle’s funding of the rebuilding of their home.  Mayor Keehn holds a proclamation from Waveland mayor Tommy Longo proclaiming October 7, 2006 “Saratoga Springs, New York Day in Waveland, Mississippi”.

The Giving Circle volunteers included children of volunteers and members.  Dan Keehn, son of Mayor Valerie Keehn, left, and Azurah Bertrand, son of founder Mark Bertrand, help clean a Wavelander’s yard of tall grass and debris.

Mayor Valerie Keehn’s youngest son, Daniel, volunteers to man the children’s activity booth at the “Wavefest” in Waveland. Thank you to the Americorps volunteers who came to help out.