No Umbrella Newsletter Numbah Four September 2005
No Umbrella Katrina Relief

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September 13, 2005

Hi There.
Thanks to everyone who participated with No Umbrella this summer. You guys rock. You all helped make this project a success, and I can't wait for you to see the issues next summer (and then next winter, too, don't forget!). If you haven't yet, please read our September Issue. I think you'll enjoy it.

Hurricane Katrina
But now, with the summer over - and with it, the fourth volume of No Umbrella - I would normally have some time to reflect and relax.

Except this year, all I can think about is the disaster down south.
I have many fond memories, already, of New Orleans, having visited there twice: Once during a post-college road trip with Sully, we stayed in a hostel for three nights, going out at night on Bourbon with the Swedish kids staying in the next room. On Sunday of that week, Sully and I went to a city park on the Mississippi, played guitar for a couple hours, then shot the shit for 45 minutes about pro sports and local politics with two local men, standing around our vehicles with the mighty brown river passing in front of us just 50 feet ahead. Good friendly people.
The most recent trip was February 2004 to Mardi Gras. A group of us drove down a second-hand motorhome (a 1975 GMC ... first-rate for our purposes!) and had the time of our lives. We laughed so hard, so many times on that wild trip, the group could not have worked out any better. If you're interested, I wrote a sort of stream-of-conciousness column for the newspaper I was vacationing from at the time. (Scroll down to "Hell-Lo.")

Anyways, after talking with a group of my friends four days ago, we all began to understand the scope of the destruction in the gulf coast, and we all decided we would do something.

Our action
As raft guides, carpenters and seasonal river rag publishers, we have time here at the end of the summer. Also, we are healthy, able men in our twenties and we feel we have a responsibility to help our fellow humans in times of absolute carnage. So, we're headed south to offer our assistance.

From media reports, we judge New Orleans itself is not in any shape to receive assistance from us. So we are headed, in the same motorhome, full of supplies, to Slidell, LA, on high ground on the northeast shores of Lake Pontchartrain. We are bypassing the whole bureacracy thing, as we are in contact with Johnny Beyer, a pastor at the Community Christian Church in Slidell, whose congregation's homes have suffered. He is an able leader and he sees many places in his neighborhood where our help could be immeadiately utilized. He understands that we are a self-contained, able and experienced volunteer unit. We have our own tools, our own food, water and shelter, and our own know-how and he's glad for our help.
We expect we will be helping people in town clean and stabilize their homes or shelter, with hurricane-season still ongoing.
On Sunday Sept. 11 our first wave of volunteers (GW Martin, Dan Helfand, Josh Ard, Cody Lawrence and Ian Freeman) departed for Slidell, LA.
I'll be heading down five days later in a smaller vehicle, bringing unforeseen supplies in a second wave.

How you can help
I write this here for two reasons:
1.) I want to find a co-pilot for the trip down Fri. 9/16. It will probably cost you about $250 for the trip down and back. I will be returning Sunday Sept. 23
2.) We need cash and supplies to help these people.
DISCLAIMER: Just so you know, we are NOT a non-profit company. In fact, we are a group of red necks and hippies who have no idea what "tax-deductible" means. But, we do know how to get shit done. And Louisiana is about to get our help, FAST. We are not affiliated with any government, bank, corporation or non-governmental organiztion. But you do have my word every penny will be used to further this effort. Any money collected will be reported here on an itemized basis as to what it was used for. Any remainding funds donated after our trip is completed will be forwarded to the American Red Cross.

The following supplies are needed in Slidell:

  • Cleaning supplies: Bleach
  • Laundry Detergent
  • Hand soap
  • Dish detergent
  • Mops and mop heads
  • Floor cleaning liquid
  • Extension cords
  • CANNED FOOD

On Friday afternoon, we will be making pickups at three locations in Maine on our way south, if you have any supplies you would like to drop off:
Unity College (contact: Sarah Martin 948-3898)
at my Dad's house in Camden (contact Frank Callanan 236-3807)
and in Portland (contact: Nick Callanan 672-3344) on Thursday Sept. 15.

Or, if you'd like to donate money, please do that here and help clean up Slidell.

Stay tuned to http://www.noumbrella.com/katrina/ for updates from Louisiana.

And get your stories ready for next May!

Thanks again.
Nick Callanan
Publisher/human


P.S. A huge thanks goes out to the citizens of Waldo County who helped GW and the boys completely fill the motorhome with supplies. Great job Waldo County!

Email nick with your questions, comments and concerns...
and if you are able to help with our volunteer trip
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