# Katrina's Outback Victims



## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

Hey, Outbackers,

The DW and I want to help those in need after Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. I was talking about some of our fellow Outbackers who had to flee their homes to avoid Katrina and she wanted to know why we couldn't put together a fund for those in our Forum who have special needs as a result of this disaster.

I told her I thought that to be a wonderful idea and would posit it to y'all to see if there was something we could do.

So that's what I'm doing. Is there a way to find out which ones of our fellow Outbackers were uprooted or displaced who might have special needs resulting from Hurrican Katrina? Is there a way to set up a special fund for them?

Personally, I think a fund set up by fellow Outbackers would be the way to go. I just don't know how to pull it off. But I figured some of y'all would know.

So, what do you think?

Mark


----------



## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Mark,

I agree with you. I had had a similar thought a few days ago, but like you, could not really figure out how to make it work.

We would be glad to participate, but need to do it in a way that we know our fellow Outbackers generosity and caring is not being taken advantage of.

I will keep an eye on this thread, and see what people come up with.

Happy Trails,
Doug


----------



## kkfbaloo37 (Mar 6, 2005)

I applaud your desires but , will share what our local head of "United Way" told us at our Rotary meeting yesterday. We live in Tallahassee FL, close to the disaster area and as of now have more than a few folks here from the disaster.
He said: 
Don't feel pressured or guilty because you are not immediately sending donations or stuff or help to the folks affected by this disaster. This will be around for a long time and there will be plenty of long term opportunities to help. It would not surprise me if every state in the union ends up having someone moving there and trying to start over.
Second, if you want to donate, donate to an organization that has been around for a long time and will be around for a long time. Folks like the RED CROSS come to mind. Collecting money and trying to fairly distribute same is very hard work.
There are already a lot of scams out there.
(I'm adding:
A lot of these folks will probably end up relocating and starting over completely, they have lost everything, home, job, neighbors and friends. The long haul commitment is what they will need to make it work.)
Good luck.


----------



## kjdj (Sep 14, 2004)

You can do as I did. I towed the OB to my company's office in Mobile,Al
A fellow Comcast employee and his family are living in it for a few weeks. 
I met a new friend!


----------



## BoaterDan (Jul 1, 2005)

kjdj said:


> You can do as I did. I towed the OB to my company's office in Mobile,Al
> A fellow Comcast employee and his family are living in it for a few weeks.
> I met a new friend!
> [snapback]53695[/snapback]​


Those kinds of thoughts came to my mind as well. Wouldn't it be cool to have an established mechanism where people from all around the country take their RVs to the area when there's a disaster like this?


----------



## uoutcampin2 (Mar 3, 2005)

My company (Winn-Dixie) did something similar for some of our displaced associates without homes. The distribution center located in Hammond Louisiana rented a massive class A, 2 class Câ€™s and a couple of TT from a company in Ohio for some of the associates and families that no longer have a home. On top of this, they sectioned off an area of the property and ran sewer, water, and 30/50 amp service to us. Since I had my outback and now am homeless as well, I pulled in along side of the rest and joined in. But I have to say, the outback still turns heads!







I just love to hear them say â€œCompared to the other RVâ€™s here yours is gorgeousâ€. And of course I just say â€œI knowâ€.







Got to love it!







Anyhow, they have been cooking everyday for everyone and the manager that runs this massive distribution center is bending over backwards to make sure everyone is comfortable. Itâ€™s not even just in Hammond, the entire company is doing the same thing. Whether it is hotels, campers, or just using blow up mattresses in the offices, they are doing what it takes to help out. It is companies like Winn-Dixie that go that extra mile to keep their associates happy and help in any way they can. I'm so grateful for this. I just feel that I cannot express enough how thankful I am. If it wasn't for them, I don't know what else I would do. I guess next time my cell phone goes off at 3am because a server crashed and they cannot ship groceries, or any other technical problems come up in the middle of the night, I wonâ€™t complain anymore.

Chris


----------



## huntr70 (Jul 8, 2005)

We just returned from our Dealer Outing this weekend.....found out some interesting things about the relief effort.

FEMA came to the dealership (Tom Schaeffer's RV) and took?? Paid for?? all the trailers that fell into a certain catergory. Anything from 25- 35 feet, and was $22,000 or less. This cleaned them out of Outbacks, as well as mosr of their Hornets. These are to be used as temporary housing for disaster relief.

Also heard a rumor about FEMA having a contract with Starcraft to purchase everything that comes of their production line for the next 6 months.

Steve


----------



## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

huntr,

I read somewhere, I think it was on MSN, that Several RV manufacturers were giving RVs away to the victims. They could live in them while they rebuilt and/or sell them to use as a down payment on their new homes.

Sounds like a great idea to me.









Mark


----------



## ford56312 (Jul 20, 2005)

I'm a member of RumbleBee.org We are making decals like we are here. It has Katrina Relief Fund then RumbleBee.org under it. Also we have a thing going that BLACK IS FASTER or YELLOW IS FASTER with Katrina Relief Fund RumbleBee.org under which is faster. Any way the guy making them is sending the money to the Red Cross. The donation is $7 plus shipping or more if you like. Again any way we could do something like that . Like *OUTBACK RV OWNERS KATRINA RELIEF FUND*


----------



## Katrina (Dec 16, 2004)

"Katrina's Outback victims"
Why does that sound so wrong to me?

It's my understanding that I'll be on my way down there in a few weeks.
My company (telecommunications) has several employees down there that lost everything. They are all off work with pay. We are rotating crews in and out of there in week long shifts to handle the workload while they are off. I'm looking forward to helping out, but not looking forward to sleeping in my work truck as hotels and such must be pretty scarce.


----------



## glennsteers (Apr 25, 2005)

Please check out this new post regarding Outbackers.com coming together to donate a trailer to a homeless family:

Outback for Katrina Fund

Please let us know if you are interested in helping! Thanks...


----------



## happycamper (Jul 26, 2005)

We found out in a round about way that Cruise America RV Rental here in PA is mobilizing their unused rental fleet to be used in the hurricane zone. They may be looking for drivers if any one is interested. You can use their website to find a location near you and contact them to see if there is a need. www.cruiseamerica.com

Steph


----------



## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Chris,

What a great response to such a huge disaster! My hat is off to Winn-Dixie!









It is amazing how well and quickly the private sector can respond to this devastating event, while our governement sits around with there finger up their.... Well, you know.

Happy Trails,
Doug


----------



## huntr70 (Jul 8, 2005)

happycamper said:


> We found out in a round about way that Cruise America RV Rental here in PA is mobilizing their unused rental fleet to be used in the hurricane zone.Â They may be looking for drivers if any one is interested.Â You can use their website to find a location near you and contact them to see if there is a need.Â www.cruiseamerica.com
> 
> Steph
> [snapback]54370[/snapback]​


I found out yesterday that our local dealer, Tom Schaeffer's is paying $1700 for drivers to tow trailers down to Mississippi(using your own TV)...seems like other dealers are doing the same also.

Steve


----------



## ford56312 (Jul 20, 2005)

[

I found out yesterday that our local dealer, Tom Schaeffer's is paying $1700 for drivers to tow trailers down to Mississippi(using your own TV)...seems like other dealers are doing the same also.

Steve
[snapback]54393[/snapback]​[/quote]
I called and they said they have about 20 to go down yet. 28 and longer. You have to get it down there get a delivery ticket signed and return then you get paid...all costs to get it there and you back is on you....I'm thinking about it. Got to ask of at work.1100 miles 2 days down and 2 back would be nice to caravan with a few others....


----------



## LarryTheOutback (Jun 15, 2005)

huntr70 said:


> FEMA came to the dealership (Tom Schaeffer's RV) and took?? Paid for?? all the trailers that fell into a certain catergory. Anything from 25- 35 feet, and was $22,000 or less. This cleaned them out of Outbacks, as well as mosr of their Hornets. These are to be used as temporary housing for disaster relief.
> [snapback]53992[/snapback]​


The Oregonian this morning had a picture of a FEMA lot loaded with trailers of all kinds. Pulling into the lot is an Outback!

I managed to find the picture at the New York Times News Service site (the resolution in the paper was better, so I could make out the brand name on the back; the picture in the NYTimes had the Outback cropped out).

Ed


----------



## nonny (Aug 14, 2005)

Cool! BTW, your eyes are a whole lot better than mine.


----------



## cookie9933 (Feb 26, 2005)

Yep if you have kids you get the 28Bunk house.I wonder who gets the 27RSDS








I want a fiver
Jan


----------



## uoutcampin2 (Mar 3, 2005)

PDX_Doug said:


> Chris,
> 
> What a great response to such a huge disaster! My hat is off to Winn-Dixie!
> 
> ...


I agree with you opinion about the government and itâ€™s response.







It has been about 3 weeks since Katrina paid us a visit and I have yet to even see the Red Cross anywhere near the greater New Orleans area. I see on the news that they are issuing out debit cards and other supplies or assistance in other states but they still have yet to step foot here in New Orleans. We are still homeless but I feel very fortunate that we have the outback and a job. A lot of others have absolutely nothing but what little they left with.

Chris


----------



## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

> We are still homeless but I feel very fortunate that we have the outback and a job


Chris, (and other Hurricane Outbackers),

Hang in there. "And this, too, shall pass."

Thinking of you.

Mark


----------

