GULF RECOVERY CONTINUES

Over the past 10 months we have begun to work more with the native Choctaw-Biloxi-Chitimacha communities of Isle de Jean Charles and Pointe aux Chene southwest of New Orleans. These Indigenous Peoples can trace their ancestry back to the 17th century when the first Europeans showed up and some families count French and Spanish explorers and military men among their ancestors.

Most recently our crew did renovations on the home of an 82-year-old man on Isle de Jean Charles where we built an accessible bathroom and shower for his disabled wife and repaired a home in Pointe aux Chene which is on the mainland opposite Isle de Jean Charles. All these homes were damaged by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in the fall of 2008. We have also been assisting an elderly woman in Lafayette, Louisiana. We gave her two air conditioners for her home and repaired her bathroom and kitchen.

We want to thank Irene Romero of the Gary Rhine Memorial Gulf Rebuilding Fund, Francis, Ann and Ellie Posel and the Posel Foundation, Onaway Trust, the Philip R. Jonsson Foundation, Michael and Jody Wells, Dr. David and Janet Winek, and SHARE for their support.

The north side of this house in Pointe aux Chene had been badly damaged by Hurricanes Ike and Gustav in 2008. Plenty carpenters Jeff Becker, on ladder, and Calvin Langley completely rebuilt this side of the house.

Jeff walks along the only road connecting Isle de Jean Charles to the mainland. The island, once 15,000 acres protected by fresh water wetlands and thick forest, has been reduced to about 80 virtually treeless acres surrounded by salt water. The wetlands are long gone. (photos by Calvin Langley)