Nature has struck once again and while many of us sit in our dry snug homes, hundreds of thousands of people are without a roof over their heads, food for their kids or a place they can call home. Many of the most heavily hit in New Orleans and surrounding miles are among the poorer population of the area and without household insurance, so they are literally left homeless and destitute.

We as a nation of caring humans, will see this disaster through, just as we have so many times in our history. Four years ago, we suffered a loss of three thousand plus people in an horrendous attack disaster. So many loved ones lost. So much grief.

The tragedy of Katrina has left not only the grief, but the aftermath. Homeless, possible plagues, rabid animals and venomous watersnakes, stagnant water, broken levees and so much more. It will take years for the southern coastal regions of this country to recover. Old historic spots like the Big Easy may never recover, so much has been lost.

Relief effort is in full swing and the Red Cross- http://www.redcross.org can use as much of a donation as you can muster. They tend to discourage items donations because of the vast time and energy of many people that it takes to collect, sort and distribute these items. Please consider donations of money. EVERY cent helps.

If you have items to donate, please contact your local churches and religious organizations. You'll find relief efforts and volunteers through them who have the manpower to distribute item-donations.

From Houma to New Orleans and on to Biloxi, Katrina raged, wiping out families, homes, businesses and property to such an extent that much will remain unrecoverable. A disaster of these proportions has jettisoned volunteers into action and these volunteers are working ceaselessly to ease the horrific plight of the refugees of this deadly show of Nature's power.

Despite the damage and heartbreak, these people will likely try to rebuild their homes, culture and dignity in the face of such devastation. They have in the past and will face the future once more. With our help and the help of so many good and decent people, these folks can get their lives back. The cities and towns so hard hit can begin to take shape and regrow.

We all get by with a little help from our friends.

Give what you can

...and know you've touched a life.