Published: July 05, 2008 05:53 pm      

EXTRA MILER: New Orleans: Haunted by the X

EDITOR’S NOTE: Carol Dawson recently traveled to New Orleans to accept her Will Rogers Humanitarian Award from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. As part of its annual conference, the group toured some portions of the region deluged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. This is the second of two reports from her trip. The first installment appeared in Saturday’s editions.



I was eager to see the city of New Orleans for the first time since Katrina, and the National Society of Newspaper Columnists annual conference set up the ideal opportunity. It was good to see the heart of the city looking pristine and playing the role of host so graciously in less than three years after the catastrophe.

It was an easy task for the conference attendees to absorb the spirit of the French Quarter and see the great city flourishing once again. Spirits were high and humorous one-liners flowed easily ... until Saturday. The columnists decelerated during our tour through the sections of New Orleans and surrounding Parishes hit the hardest by Katrina. Almost on cue, the day became dark and rain began to fall as the buses turned into the first of several devastated areas.

Tears went into auto-pilot as past television images of Katrina collided with the current state of the neighborhoods. As we rolled through streets of concrete slabs, destroyed homes and vacant lots, I imagined these communities must have looked much like Southern Indiana before the storm ... before Katrina. Despite the efforts of thousands of Extra Milers, many areas still resemble a war-torn city in a third world country.

I will forever be haunted by the large brightly painted Xs still on many of the houses. These symbols meant the houses had been checked by the National Guard. In the upper portion of the X was the date (usually a couple of weeks after Katrina), to one side was the Guard unit acronym and at the bottom was the number of deceased. Some homes were marked with the words, “Dog,” or “Cat” painted near the X in bold letters to indicate pets were lost in these homes.

It was similar images from August 2005 that prompted me (and my husband, Ken) to arrive a day early to work with Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO). The Executive Director, Charlotte Bass Lilly, offered pick up and delivery for our day with the ARNO “beautiful animals.”

As we journeyed to the ARNO site, Charlotte told of the people and pets that didn’t make it to safety during Katrina. She told stories of owners who were not given the option to take their beloved pets to safety — chronicles of pain and loss. After several stories, she sighed and made a quick thought transition. “Enough of that ... there are so many stories of hope and love you need to hear,” Charlotte said.

During our day with ARNO, tales of perseverance and strong-will flowed from the workers. We heard stories of ARNO purchasing boats after the storm, to look for abandoned pets. The National Guard would recover individuals off roofs, forcing owners to leave their pets behind. As often as possible, ARNO volunteers swept in to rescue the frightened animals.

Stories flowed of pets swimming for miles to safety and then months later being reunited with their owners. Even now — three years after the storm, families are being reunited with their pets.

Charlotte talked about a despondent elderly woman who lost everything to the flood, including her dog. The woman had become despondent, with no will to live. Months later she saw her dog in an ARNO photograph. When the two best friends were reunited, she said it was a miracle her dog made it through the storm and if he could make it, she could also.

ARNO provides a special place until the animals of New Orleans can find a home. Robin Beaulieu, ARNO Rescue Director said, “We like to refer to ARNO as an animal lodge; a safe refuge after the storm.”

The New Orleans’ animals at ARNO appear happy, as teams of volunteers arrive daily. Puppies play in wading pools while cages are cleaned, excited dogs play fetch after they are walked several times a day, and cats are gently held and snuggled in the warmth of blankets and sheets. Despite the noise level from volunteers and attention demanding dogs, I felt a sense of calm in the middle of the chaos. While I know they are still not home; the animals are nourished, healed, and loved in this place known as the Animal Lodge.

Carol A. Dawson is a resident of Jeffersonville and owner of EEO GUIDANCE, Inc. If you have seen or been a part of an act of kindness or know an EXTRA MILER, please let her know about it. To submit a story or act of kindness, contact Carol via e-mail: Extra.Milers@newsandtribune.com or mail: THE EXTRA MILERS, The Evening News, 221 Spring St. Jeffersonville, IN 47130-3340.



KINDNESS TIP OF THE MONTH:

Do not forget the people or the animals of New Orleans. The rebuilding progress has come through personal sweat, along with aid from Extra Milers. There are many volunteer groups to contact if you wish to assist in the rebuilding of New Orleans and the surrounding community. Go to:

• Animal Rescue New Orleans: www.animalrescueneworleans.org

• Habitat for Humanity: www.habitat-nola.org

• Community Center of St. Bernard: www.ccstb.org/

• The St. Bernard Project: www.stbernardproject.org/