All I can say is the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is surreal. It is a movie played out in real life - something no one could ever imagine would happen.
A friend's parents have lost their home. Another friend is working on rebuilding the communication infrastructure, but has to drive with people who own guns so he is protected. My mother, the director of the Dutchess County SPCA in Poughkeepsie, NY is even feeling the effects - making as much room as she can for lost and abandoned animals.
And yet there is hope. The Atlanta Interactive Marketing Association board met last night to discuss how we can support the recovery efforts. During this discussion I learned of one member who is supporting a lonely woman evacuated to a hotel in north metro Atlanta. Another is taking in three abandoned dogs. Another volunteers at a local Red Cross and is looking to bring a family into his home. Wade over at ThinkMonster is working diligently with CNN to complete Katrina Survivor Search, a tool for searching for lost people.
The outpouring of support and caring is inspirational. There is so much devastation, it cannot end when the media decides to stop covering it. All the organizations will require support for many, many months to come. We cannot just give once, we need to give and give again. At our meeting we unanimously decided to change AiMA Idols from a networking event to a fund raiser. Yes, it is at the end of the month. Yes, many of us will have already given plenty of money and support. It's not enough. We need to continue giving.
Stay tuned for more information. As we work out the details, I'll be sure to spread the word.
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