GM FYI Blog

Editor’s Note:
This is the final installment of Sue Mead’s reports about her recent trip to the hurricane-damaged gulf coast. Sue is a freelance automotive journalist who writes for more than two dozen publications and the Internet. In this case she led a group of 12 volunteers from her church in Williamstown, Mass., to the town of Slidell, La. For a week the group of adults and children lived in a local church and helped residents who are still recovering from massive storm losses. General Motors loaned the group a HUMMER H2 and a GMC Yukon Denali to transport them and their gear during their mission.

By Sue Mead

Our Katrina Mission Team returned home Saturday, May 13th, with our hearts full. Although we were exhausted following our 25-hour return trip, our spirits were high as a result of the work we had accomplished and the lives we had touched. It was clear the blessing had gone both ways, and some of group had already started making plans to return this summer.

The Hummer H2 and Yukon Denali XL had now become our home away from home and, with Alex staying behind to visit with his father in Florida, we had one extra seat on our return trip, which allowed for more legroom! We called OnStar and used “Wanda,” our GPS navigation expert, to help us find fuel stops and eating stops, as well as an alternate route through Pennsylvania to the Berkshires. Not only did we make better time, but we also saw some new scenery.

On our last day in Slidell, we wrapped up each of the jobs we had started. The roof for Daryl was completed, a damaged shed was taken down, and his yard was clear of all debris, with the final work crew of Alex, Craig, Hannah and Connie. The indoor painting and installing of cabinets was completed at the Foggs’ home by Krista, Kyle, Chandra, Kevin and Ed. Dave led a team of Jo Ellen, Connie, Ashley, Craig and myself to complete the taping and mud work at Mr. Howard’s. It is now ready to be painted. Craig and Connie also completed a “recce” of another damaged home in the area and made a worksheet of needs and materials to give to Brother Bruce for the next mission team. And Royal and Buster’s yard was cleaned of debris and a shed was built by the men of our team, along with Pastor Aaron and John, from Ohio, who joined us for our work in Pearlington, Miss.

Adding our work hours together and charging a $10.00 rate for half of them and a professional rate of $40.00 per hour for the carpenters, painters and roofers, I have come up with approximately 600 hours of service and a dollar figure of close to $25,000. I know you would agree, our time spent helping Katrina survivors rebuild their homes and lives was far less about dollars than about simply sharing love.

Since we have returned, I have kept in contact with our 85-year-old-friend Royal. Ashley is in contact with Jannie and Mr. Fogg called Krista this week to see how we are all doing with the flooding in New England. I have a sense that our friendships made will go on for our lifetime.

Dave is busy working on the slide and video show we will give at our church on Sunday, May 28th. We will invite members of the community, as well. Our five youth members were recently interviewed by the local newspaper about their work, and an article appeared this week describing the trip.

We will send a more formal “thank you” to you and all of the GM team that made our drive possible, through the donation of vehicles and the video camera, as well as your support and appreciation for the all the work that remains to be done for Katrina survivors.

Bless you,
Sue Mead

To see where Sue and her team of volunteers went during their trip, please visit our online photo album at Flickr.