[J22-Fleet 1] All those WYC J22 Fleet #1 members attending Districts September 17 & 18

Thu Sep 8 07:40:46 CDT 2005

Hey, J22 Fleet,
Many of my friends, fellow crewmates, skippers, etc. that I have had the pleasure of many Southern sailing experiences with over the past several years were affected by Hurricane Katrina.  A number of you have had the pleasure of meeting some of these folks at 
J22 Mid-Winters in New Orleans or in Key West and have visited their stomping grounds:  Southern Yacht Club, Pass Christian Yacht Club, etc.

Some of these amazing people took boats and performed search and rescue despite being shot at and having large objects thrown at them by those who chose to resort to looting and violance during the days following the hurricane.

Pasted below is an email that one of my crewmates from Chicago sent out on behalf of my absolutely amazing friend, Linda Skuba Gray.  Linda was able to leave New Orleans and reach safety before the hurricane and now is returning and has organized quite the volunteer effort to help those who need it the most.

I cannot help but roll up my sleeves and pitch in right on the heels of my good friends in New Orleans and am asking our fleet to do the same.  Simply bring any of the items on Linda's list with you to the Wayzata Yacht Club on Saturday, September 17 or Sunday, September 18 when you attend the J22 Districts and I will happily collect them and ship them to New Orleans.  If you have boxes, please bring me those also.  If you would like to ship items on your own, all of the information is pasted below in the original email.

I thank you in advance for any donation you can make!!!!!
Best Regards,
Angela Johnson 
(Crew J22 #809 MarLes Clipper)

***PLEASE MAKE SURE TO READ THE UPDATE AT THE BOTTOM***

As you know, Linda is trained as a nurse and she specialized in Community Health at one point in her career.  I spoke to her this morning and she was on her way to the house to get a few things, then head to Baton Rouge, where Michael is re-establishing the Gray Insurance Headquarters until such time as they can get back to New Orleans.  On the way, she saw the abysmal conditions that people are enduring and she asked me to draft this note to each of you to tell you what she has done and enlist your help going forward.

Our dear Linda with Michael, Michelle Skuba, Dolly Gray and one more baby Gray on the way, arranged for a convoy of trucks (semi trucks, no less than five, by the way) to travel to New Orleans with supplies for the troops and relief workers who are doing their best to take care of the City of New Orleans as well as the families who have lost most or all that they had.  These trucks were filled with baby formula, wipes, diapers, toothbrush kits, underwear
 you name it.  

There are new shelters opening every day in New Orleans to assist those who need it; however, these shelters are completely without supplies of any kind.  The Red Cross and FEMA are completely overextended and unable to keep up with the demand, and they will not bring supplies into the Orleans Parish.  There are troops who were brought home from Iraq to protect the property and they are completely low on supplies, so our friend Linda has stepped in and she is requesting your help.  

Linda wants to fill up all of those trucks again.  She is asking that each of you send a box as directed below – she has provided a list of things that are needed and she will take these supplies to the relief workers, troops and shelters in New Orleans.  If everyone sends one box, and forwards this request on to others, enlists their employers in the cause, we will really be able to accomplish something.

Linda will make sure that these supplies get to the shelters and help people who need it.  She wanted me to let each of you know that the Gray Family knows not a few, but MANY family friends who have lost everything, including their homes and businesses.  Amazingly, these are the people who are helping Linda in her efforts to recruit aid from all of us, get the word out and get these packages to places where they are most needed.

Here is a list of the supplies that the shelters, troops and relief workers need:

Toiletries of all varieties: soap, shampoo, toothbrush kits, baby powder, etc.

Clothing – all sizes, from infant through to XXL for men and women. Shorts, T-shirts that are new or very gently used.  Remember, it's still quite hot in New Orleans.

Socks

Shoes, especially sizes 10, 11 and 12 for men and women

Over-the-Counter medications, especially for diarrhea, because dysentery is starting to set in on the population there.  Advil, Tylenol, Aspirin, Allergy and Flu relief medications.

Sanitary items for women

Band-Aids and bandages

Neosporin

Cortizone Cream

Antibacterial Wipes

Non-perishable food items (things that are light include tuna in bags, peanut butter tubes)

Send a note with your box and please label the box "RELIEF AID."

Linda Skuba Gray

c/o Ron & Cheryl Jaekle

17648 Five Oaks Drive

Baton Rouge, LA 70810

We considered creating a bank account for people who wish to donate money, but there are two problems: (1) the banks (and stores) aren't exactly functional yet in New Orleans and (2) Linda insists that although that may be an option as we move forward, this is the best use of our time and her time right now.

I am looking into starting a web site to track the progress of the overall initiative outlined above and support it until Linda is able to take it over, so please let me know if any of you are technical enough to help me with that!

So, in true Linda fashion (but without the rhyming) – here's the recap: Send what you can to the address above to help.  Mark the box "Relief Supplies" and Linda (and Friends) will take these boxes of supplies to the troops, relief workers and shelters where they are needed.  Please pass this e-mail on to your friends and colleagues.  Enlist the support and participation of your employers!  Get creative, do something.  Make an impact.

UPDATE:

Of course, as I am ready to hit the SEND button, I got another call from Linda.  She had just come from a meeting with Heath Jones, the Commanding Officer of the US Coast Guard at the 17th Street Levee breach in New Orleans.  Not only has he agreed to let Linda and her team spearhead the effort to get supplies to the First Responder Relief Team, but he has arranged to have a UNIFORMED, ARMED ESCORT for Linda to go into this area DAILY to deliver these supplies to the troops, families, and rescue centers (so those of you who were worried about her ability to actually deliver these items
. No need, it's under control).  She has also updated the list of things that they need (and this is IN ADDITION to what is listed above):

            Towels

            Washcloths

            Razors

            Febreeze

            Q-Tips

            Sheets (Twin Size)

            Pillows

            Vicks Vapor Rub (VERY IMPORTANT)

            Long Rubber Gloves to deal with contaminated items

            Sunglasses

            Sunscreen

            Gym Shoes

            SOCKS

            FLIP FLOPS in BIG SIZES (VERY IMPORTANT)

Thanks for all of your help in this effort – If there is anyone who should be added to this list, please e-mail their contact info to SkubaGray at gmail.com and I will make sure that they are added.  I am supposed to be receiving pictures soon and I will either post them on a web site or send a few, depending upon their size.

If today's calls from Linda are any indication, you should receive these e-mail updates regularly.  If you do not wish to receive them, please let me know and I will be happy to remove you from the list.  I know that this is a rather lengthy e-mail.  Please know that Linda appreciates the time you spent reading and responding to it.  

Michelle in Chicago (standing in for Linda)

We Cannot Adjust the Wind, but we can Adjust the Sails!

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