On the Anniversary of Katrina: Voices from New Orleans

From Amy Hale-Janeke, at the %th Circuit in New Orleans:

Thanks to all of you who have sent encouraging words to us here on Katrina's anniversary. There are a lot of memorials going on around the city despite pouring rain. Throughout the area there is bell-ringing, wreath-laying, secular and religious services.

It is raining heavily outside right now. During lunch, I dashed across the street to a local eatery. As I stood in line, I heard one lady say, "See? Even the sky is crying today." I thought about that statement as I ate my sandwich. There is cause for crying- the very-preventable breaking of the levies, the tragedy and suffering at the Superdome, the loss of lives, houses, businesses and even whole neighborhoods. Some things can come back (and are) and some things aren't. Some people are coming back and some never will.

But there is also cause for hope! The hope comes from individuals who make up our nation. Individuals who donate time, money, and sometimes just give someone a hug when despair overwhelms them. In fact, as I drove into work this morning, I listened to an NPR story about who is really doing the rebuilding. Mainly, it's Habitat for Humanity. In fact, the story said Habitat has built more homes than anyone else, including the gov't. They are building something like 57 a month. The story is here:
http://www.npr.org

There was also a long story in last Sunday's paper about the New Orleans Public Library and its determination to rebuild and how individuals and non-profits are helping out. Check it out at:
http://www.nola.com/timespic

For those of you who wrote to ask what you can do to continue to help, consider making a donation today to either:
the Friends of the New Orleans Public Library
(http://nutrias.org/info/friends/friends.htm)
or
Habitat for Humanity New Orleans Area Chapter
(http://www.habitat-nola.org/)

And now....back to your regularly scheduled programming....

Amy Hale-Janeke, JD MLS
Head of Reference Services
5th Circuit Court of Appeals Library
New Orleans Headquarters
600 Camp Street, Room 106
New Orleans, LA 70130