Photo by Dobbins
Photo: In the Casitas Plaza parking lot, on Sept. 6, volunteers load donated items on a moving van headed for Mississippi to hurricane victims. Carpinterians are helping the victims in a variety of ways such as blood drives, cash donations and labor.

Carpinterians doing what they can for Katrina victims
Carpinteria has never been thrashed by a hurricane. But on Aug. 29, as local residents watched images of Hurricane Katrina’s strong winds and rising floodwaters, many Carpinterians lived through the horror of a Category Five storm second-hand.

As New Orleans transplant and local attorney Preston Marx III said, about watching the footage of the storm from Carpinteria, “New Orleans is a beautiful city. It’s heartbreaking to see it destroyed by natural disaster.”

Now, although the storm clouds have dissipated, thousands of people are newly homeless and impoverished, while New Orleans and dozens of other surrounding communities throughout Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi continue to be threatened by contaminated water, looting, disease, wind damage, and fires.

But instead of dwelling on the helplessness of the situation, many Carpinterians have used the disaster as an opportunity to give back to their southern neighbors. Since the hurricane hit, dozens of local residents have opened their hearts (and wallets) by donating time, blood, used clothing, money, and other items, while others are actually working at the disaster scene, as volunteers or through the military.

“At first I felt powerless. Now, I feel a little bit better knowing that this will help there,” said Susee Smith-Young, who organized a last minute drive for toiletries, used clothing and furniture donations for her sister and other residents who live in Pascagoula, Miss. On September 5, Smith-Young and her brother, Tom Smith, gathered together items donated by the community into Smith’s commercial truck, so that Smith could drive the items directly to hurricane victims. (They will be distributed through Pascagoula’s St. John’s Church.) Of the response Smith-Young received from her request for donations, she said, “I want to thank everyone. I’m overwhelmed. Carpinteria is wonderful.”

For local resident Cristina Camarena, 30, however, Hurricane Katrina’s arrival hit even closer to home. The storm destroyed her sister’s house and left her mother without electricity, and now Camarena is asking for the community’s help to bring her seven family members from Mississippi to Carpinteria, to begin rebuilding their lives.

“I just know how tight our community is especially in a time of need. I need people to come together for this family that wants to live in our community,” said Camarena.

According to Camarena, her family members are stranded in Biloxi and Gulf Port without enough money or gasoline to make the trek to a safe haven in Carpinteria. So far, the family has received no help from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and because their houses are uninhabitable, Camerena would like to provide shelter for them here.

But she knows that the three adults and four small children (one whom has asthma and another whom has seizures) from Mississippi will need more help than she can provide.

“I would like to ask the citizens of Carpinteria to help us out during this national disaster with money, clothes, food, a temporary or permanent home, jobs, anything.” Camarena, who has lived in Carpinteria all her life, can be contacted at cristinecamarena@ hotmail.com or 684-3767.

While Camarena may be constantly thinking of Mississippi and other Gulf Coast communities struck by the disaster, two Carpinterians are actually there. Bill Hepp, 72, is driving a portable feeding unit truck in Baton Rouge for the Santa Barbara Chapter of the American Red Cross and Terri Torres, 34, is evacuating medical patients from New Orleans with the Air National Guard.

As well, three of the area’s firefighters who specialize in swift water rescue are on standby and may be called to the site at any moment, according to Chief Tom Martinez, of the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District. “We’re keeping our pulse on the heartbeat to see what’s going on next,” said Martinez.

Hepp said that he was stirred to help out Hurricane Katrina victims through the Red Cross because he enjoys helping people and because of the feeling of accomplishment and spirit of camaraderie that he gets from participating in disaster relief work.

Speaking to the Coastal View by phone on Sept. 1 from the road in Louisiana, Hepp said that someone had tried to steal the gasoline from their van.

Torres, who spoke to the Coastal View from the New Orleans Louis Armstrong Airport on Sept. 1, said that she had been co-piloting C130E cargo transport airplanes. Torres said that she has been evacuating medical patients and that the scene at the airport of the airport in Baghdad.

Torres also said she has seen many “vacant stares” among the 72 patients evacuated during each trip. “My main mission is moving people,” said Torres.

Carpinteria lighting fixture company BEGA-US, Incorporated is paying their facilities manager, Phil Modglin, his full salary while he volunteers for Red Cross over the next 12 days.

Of the disaster relief efforts, Lucy Popova, public support specialist for Santa Barbara’s American Red Cross chapter, said, “This is the largest Red Cross mobilization in Red Cross history. The efforts will be long term and grueling. We’re looking at a good couple of months [of efforts]. We’ll be there with food, shelter and basic living conditions for as long as it takes.”

Regarding the extensive efforts, Popova recommended that people interested in helping out should donate to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. (Donations of clothing or other in-kind items are no longer accepted by the Red Cross.) Even if you don’t have two weeks to volunteer or money to send to the Red Cross, blood donations are currently in demand in the hurricane afflicted areas.

On Aug. 29, the Lions Club’s quarterly blood drive at the Carpinteria Community Church coincided neatly with the heightened demand for blood in the South, and attendance at the Tri-County Blood Bank drive was definitely larger than average.

Diana Van Wingerden, 31, was one of the people giving blood to support the hurricane victims. Explaining why she decided to give blood, Van Wingerden said, “I work full-time and I have two kids but when I get home I’m glued to the TV. I don’t have any family there but I feel so bad. This is what I can do.”

Ways You Can Help
Though many Carpinterians have already helped out with hurricane relief effort, there will still be many months of reconstruction and fundraising efforts before the Gulf Coast is back to normal. In other words, there is still time to roll up your sleeves or dust off your checkbook to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Disaster Relief Benefit, Sept. 17, 3 to 7 p.m., Island Brewing Company, 5049 Sixth St., Carpinteria, 684-8272, $20. Island’s previously scheduled grand opening party has transformed into a fundraiser. The evening will feature bands (including the Brewhouse Boys) and food donated by local restaurants. All proceeds will benefit the Red Cross.

Blue Ribbons for Hurricane Victims, $1, available at local businesses, the Coastal View office, or from Megan Siuffe, 684-2114. Siuffe, 16, who just moved to Carpinteria from New York, created this fundraiser based on a similar campaign she created to raise money for 9/11 victims. Siuffe raised $2,000 during her 9/11 fundraiser and she hopes to raise just as much this time. Wear those blue ribbons with pride.

American Red Cross, Santa Barbara Chapter, 687-1331. Volunteer or donate money to this national organization. (Donations of clothing, food, and similar items are no longer accepted by Red Cross.)

Tri-Counties Blood Bank, 965-7037. Call to volunteer or donate blood.

Revving Up for Hurricane Relief, Sept. 18, noon to 5 p.m., Earl Warren Fairgrounds, 745-1911. Santa Barbara Harley-Davidson is throwing this relief party, complete with silent auction and bouncy castle, to raise money and donations for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Check out vintage and new Harleys for a good cause. How often can you donate blood and bid on fine wine in the same evening?