Report from Shelters in Lake Charles

Posted at 11:32 AM, Sep. 2, 2005

Numerous agents and agencies, local and across the nation, have offered to help with this weblog and I thank you.  Right now, I want to especially thank Gwen Queenan and Cory Bond! In order to satisfy the need for "in the field reports", Gwen Queenan agreed to visit the Lake Charles Civic Center and Burton Coliesum.  These two facilities host over 2200 displaced victims. Photos should be posted by Monday.

Lake Charles: Field Report by Gwen Queenan, Coldwell Banker Legacy and Local Writer, Cory Bond

The relief efforts seemed well organized under the circumstances. Security personnel manning the metal detectors, weary from handling the sheer number of people entering Burton Coliseum, nevertheless reported no problems or disruptive behavior. Cots and mattresses were laid out in rows, and those that were uninhabited were covered with neatly folded blankets. Both sites were overflowing with donations of food, clothing, bedding, and other essentials.

Make no mistake; the situation is dire for those forced to seek shelter here. These people have lost their homes, their worldly possessions, and are desperately waiting for some word on the fates of their family members. Many are stranded, without money or personal identification. However, everyone we spoke with was gracious and stated that all of their immediate needs were being met.

Most are eager to share their experiences, and telling their stories, to each other and to volunteers, seems to be a cathartic process. The horror stories that they can so quickly conjure, and from which they have so recently escaped, makes their collectively calm demeanor all the more remarkable.

Although the Civic Center has been transformed into a refugee camp, the scene at the lakefront just across the street appears the same as always, with parents resting under shade trees as their children play joyfully in the park and fountain. There we spoke with Deondra, a single mother of three, who had been in Lake Charles since Sunday. Planning to relocate her family here, she has already secured employment at both a restaurant and a local casino. In need of a place to live, she is currently on a waiting list to receive housing that is being made available as quickly as possible by local realtors and the community.

In the front of the Civic Center, evacuees relaxed on benches and lawn chairs while Prien Pines Nursery beautified the grounds and planters with new foliage. Nearby, a displaced woman visited her dog at the tent that volunteers had set up for pet registration and housing. She was surprised but happy to discover that they had freshly groomed him earlier in the day.

As more shelters are opened, the need for food and supplies of all types continues to grow, and anyone interested in making donations should contact the Red Cross. Some people are without transportation and need to be shuttled around town, while others simply want bus fare to other cities so that they can be reunited with friends or loved ones.