Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts - See photos below

By Tracy Finkbeiner
  Victims of Hurricane Katrina are attempting to recover from the massive storm, and the citizens of Perry County have come together with helping hands and hearts to aid in their relief.
  Greg Connell, president of Chart Bank, announced to bank employees that he was planning a trip to Covington County in southern Mississippi over the Labor Day weekend. Word spread quickly and community outpour was great.
  Contributions of water, food, paper goods, and baby essentials filled an office space and were then loaded in a 30-foot trailer and driven south. Connell delivered items to two rural churches that served as an ad hoc distribution center.
  As word spread around the community, no telephone communication available at this time, people began to arrive for supplies.
  Darrell Doughty and Will Doughty of Temple Baptist Church drove a trailer to Leake County, Miss., Saturday morning followed by Tracy Bull and Matt Smithpeters.
  The group took relief items that were donated by local individuals and packaged in “family relief boxes” by the women of Temple Baptist Church. Monetary donations purchased fuel and butane to be taken south. The group took chainsaws and spent the weekend aiding in area cleanup efforts.
  It was reported that hurricane victims were delighted to see the arrival of relief items, which were among the first in some areas. All donations were needed and greatly appreciated.
  A noteworthy event was five families from Biloxi were living in a small mobile home. They had three babies and four other children there with them. They ran out of supplies Tuesday and were having to boil water from a pond to drink. Perry County donations helped aid this family.
  “As thousands of neighbors from the south are being relocated to our area in church camps, community centers and such, please remember their needs. As we continue in this ongoing effort, monetary donations are being accepted in your local churches and to the American Red Cross,” said Connell.
  “There are many heroes arising from this tragic event. The people of Perry County are heroes of great magnitude to the people of Covington County and Leake County, Miss.,” he added.

Ladies from Temple Missionary Baptist Church that sorted donated items include:  Sue Morgan, Helen Beatty; Janice Doughty, Sheila Wright; Joyce Doughty, Juanita Thompson, Gina Wilkins; Barb Doughty, Raylene Finkbeiner, and Lori Finkbeiner.