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CHARITY FROM THE HEART

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Back in September as we were all preparing for a fun three to four days off for a long awaited Labor day weekend our treat for working hard all year, being honored for working, and a holiday known only in the United States. Most of us were comfortably sitting in front of our televisions hopefully knitting and crocheting as we watched the warnings come in for the Gulf Coast. As the hours went by and the devastation began, some put their knitting or crocheting aside and watched in horror, others; made their fingers work faster.

Coming from an extremely poor family, the morning after the hurricane hit I went into preservation mode. What was the most important needs of these people? The day wore on and the news got worse and worse. Now we have thousands of people fleeing their homes with just the clothes on their backs, not knowing if they would ever be able to return. That morning at our shop we had already received phone calls about donations of yarns. I was going to wait on trying to collect donations, but saw the need would be much more massive than our government could handle quickly. 

We sent out a newsletter which would hopefully reach all 2000 names on the list, begging for blankets, pillows, toothbrushes, tooth paste, the basic essentials of life. Within two hours of sending our newsletter we got our first call for help. Here in Arlington, Texas there was a home, which 80 family members from the Gulf Coast Region had fled to for shelter. They needed blankets, pillows and so much more, by 6:00pm that evening we had donated 50 blankets, 50 pillow, 80 toothbrushes, toilet paper, paper towels, toys (for the 22 children in the house that had been taken away from all they knew). As we were purchasing blankets and such at a local chain store we explained to the manager of the store what the items were for and could he spare a discount, after he declined, we proceeded to the check out counter where our first piece of true kindness in humans were shown.

The teenagers behind the counter ask why we were purchasing so many blankets, when we explained they were for the Katrina victims, these young ladies proceeded to use their employee discounts to help us save over $100.00. Not only that but they got all of their friends together and they went thru their closets and brought us clothes, backpacks, shoes, hygiene supplies. It was truly incredible; I was so shocked I could hardly swipe the credit card machine with my card. What compassionate young ladies. From there we proceeded to the home with all of the victims. Being introduced to these people and seeing the shell shock in their eyes, seeing the worry over missing family members and seeing their hope being challenged as each news report got worse. You could not help but cry with them, hug them, listen to their stories. That evening I went home even more motivated than when I had started.  

The next morning by time I arrived at the shop massive donations had started rolling in. I had emails from shops all over the country, we are in Texas, Carol from Carol’s Needlework’s emailed me immediately, she had group together knitting face clothes, what a brilliant idea, I told her yes, I would make sure all donations get directly put in victims hands, we made up kits with the yarn donations, donating patterns and needles so they could have complete projects to work on to keep their minds off their overwhelming situations for just a tiny while. 

All together we rallied up three pick up trucks full of donations, we never made it to any organized donations spots with our supplies, we found people to give them to before we could even get there. Everywhere in our city that we turned as well as in other cities, there were hurricane victims in such desperate need. Each one their own story, each one their own sorrow, and with each victim that I spoke with, my heart shattered a little bit more. I think I was in the guilt phase, because we were safe, warm, dry, had food and water and knew where all of our loved ones were. After much discussion with my husband, we decided that we would open up our small home and let someone use our spare bedroom, ok, truth be told my precious knitting room. We proceeded to put our names on the lists on the computer, called our local Red Cross, Salvation Army and Mission Arlington, again, daily collecting and distributing much needed supplies. 

Finally Friday, 10 days after Katrina has struck and we still have no one moved into our home. Time to get more hands on. We had one last truck full to distribute, so Friday morning I arrive at the shop at 7:00am to pack up the last pile of donation boxes, headed towards our local shelter, as I pull into the parking lot it was flooded with Katrina Victims. They had so many family members, well, our stuff went from my vehicle into 4 vehicles and the next thing I knew my vehicle was empty again and again I met many new friends who had lost so very much. They were thanking me with tears in their eyes, as I hugged Orelia, Denise & Sontthea and wished them much luck and ask them to stay in touch so we would know how their stories ended; I knew I needed to do more. I went inside the mission and asked if there were homeless senior citizens or anyone over 55 in the shelter that needed a place to stay, they informed me that they had moved that age group to a different location. I proceeded to the new location, after volunteering to help serve lunch, I met with the center director, told her who I was and how I wanted to help. There was a woman in the center who met our qualifications but she had a 34 year old son with her and expecting her 91 year old mother as well as her missing puppy (update: puppy has been found and is now with this woman). Sadly this was more than our small home could handle (we have 4  yorkies and 2 Persian cats and an alley cat!) So the center administrator starts telling me about Mr. Lamb. 

I had been watching this man the whole time I was volunteering my time and I thought how sad. To be 75 years old in a strange city, in a strange state, sleeping on a church pew, so we approached Mr. Lamb with the remark of how would you like to be my grandpa! To say the man was totally surprised was putting it politely. And as much as he wanted to leave the center he would not leave without the younger man who protected him during the days in the Superdome in Louisiana. For those of us that were not there, it cannot be described. Two complete strangers,  meet in a extremely life threatening situation, they protected each other, cried with each other, and held each other up, not knowing if any of their family members survived or not and now because of that experience they have a bond that cannot be broken. Mr. Lamb started to panic at the idea that he might be separated from his new friend Jerome. After we got him calmed down and knowing I don’t have room for two grown men, my over active brain kicks into gear and the fantaboulous idea pops into my head. 

Fortunately for me, I have lots of room in my shop. If we rearranged things, used the paperwork storage room which is way in the back of the shop, moved that paperwork into another area of the shop, we could fit two beds in there with a night stand and a TV stand, like magic a bedroom we had. We have two bathrooms at our shop, we designated one for them, and we have a full working kitchen. We brought these two men to the shop, showed them the arrangements and let them make up their own minds. They decided that they would love to stay there. So we move them in! They were the easiest people to fall in love with. Our fantastic employees stepped right up to the plate, one of the air mattresses had a hole in it, one went to buy a new one, this same young lady lives very close to the shop, got them free memberships to a local gym where they could shower daily at no charge. We provided all hygiene items that they would need. Employees offered to drive them to the gym and pick them up, other employees stocked the kitchen for them. It was the most amazing thing to watch as everyone took their turn providing a need for these wonderful men. Some of our customers meant them on Saturday. One of our employees got their names on the victims list and everywhere else she could on the internet with our cell phone numbers, the shop numbers and email addresses. 

Lo and behold, around 6:00pm that evening I was locking up the shop to go home, and spent some time talking with these wonderful gentlemen. I ask Mr. Lamb, if he had an address book, some of the numbers I called it was the same message, due to the current situation the number I had dialed would not be available for an indeterminate amount of time. I thought ok I will try this one last number, right away I notice it is a different ring and sure enough this woman answers the phone, I ask for Mr. Lamb’s son explaining who I am and where I am, I hear squeals of delight and joy, Dad has been found, the last one in that family missing (by this time 12 days have passed). I see than how tightly Joe had been holding on to his emotions; the happiness I saw in his eyes will never be forgotten.

Everything moved so fast after that, several phone calls later and several problems trying to reunite Mr. Lamb with his family, a five hour drive away. We didn’t want to have to drive 10 hours, (I was already exhausted), we didn’t want to have to put them thru another miserable bus ride, and that left the airlines. The family is trying to pay for his ticket and having a difficult time, since they are there, we were here. We got reservations on the next available flight to Houston, which is leaving in 40 minutes, I am 20 minutes from the airport and these are senior citizens, and everything that could go wrong did, including TSA deciding that both of these men needed a complete body and bag search, the gate is now closed the flight is schedule to taxi and I am running down the gates yelling please hold the plane, Katrina victims have been found, please hold that flight, well, after redressing Mr. Lamb, putting all of his few precious items back in their bags, we sort of ran, skipped and walked very fast to the gate where they had held the plane. Tears of happiness were running down both of our faces as we hugged good bye. Next it was time to hug Jerome and I had already made a promise in my heart that no matter what, if it was the last thing I did on this earth, we would find the only family Mr. Predium had left; a fiancée who had gone to Mississippi for a funeral that weekend and a daughter who had just gotten married and he could not remember her new married name. It broke my heart to see one so happy and one just a little bit more broken hearted as he tried to be happy for his new lifelong friend. 

On Monday morning, we had three emails, one for Joe and hooray, two for Jerome, both his fiancée and his daughter had found him on the internet. We personally will never forget this brief time we had with these two wonderful men. I know for me being able to help in these fashions helped to heal my own hurt and pain from watching so many people suffer. 

Charity work to me isn’t done just during disasters. Our store continually supports two charitable organizations; Girls’ Inc. of Tarrant County, a wonderful organization that helps all girls between the ages of 6-17 to be strong, smart and bold. We volunteer on a weekly basis with this organization teaching the girls not only knitting and crocheting skills. The three to four hours a week we spend with them also teaches them life lessons. As the girls graduate and move on in their young lives, they stop by and say hi occasionally, and we see their progress into adulthood. Suze Orman and Phylissa Rashad have been key note speakers at their annual luncheon which gives people an opportunity to contribute time, money and resources for this wonderful organization. 

Daily we take in preemie caps and afghans, baby clothes for John Peter Smith hospital, a local hospital that fills the needs of the less fortunate in our community. Unfortunately, it seems that that particular need is never ending. Those families are so appreciative as are the nurses from that hospital. We have a bassinette by the front door and overnight it seems to fill up. We love the ladies who use their left over sock yarn and whip out a preemie hat with it. It has created a good habit in me, I now do a preemie hat in between pairs of socks. It makes us all winners. 

I can hear some of you saying isn’t that nice, who has time. We all have time. One very valuable lesson that I learned with Joe and Jerome is most people want to feel useful and want to help. Not every one can donate money and to me time is the most precious commodity that I have, so if I am giving my time, I am giving myself.