Earline Hebert Adams
December 4, 2006
Houma woman nabbed with crack cocaine
December 6, 2006
After last year’s storms hammered Southeast Louisiana, more than 600 volunteers came to aid the survivors in an effort to rebuild their lives one brick at a time.
Grace Lutheran Church Pastor Kelly Bedard said hope and stability has been the driving force, which has led hurricane survivors near Pointe-Aux-Chenes left with nothing but memories of what once was.
“In the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the people of the U.S. and Canada responded with an outpouring of money and volunteer labor; and in some cases imagination in such a way as to make a permanent and lasting difference for the people who live on the five bayous of lower Terrebonne Parish,” said Lillian Miller of Bayou Grace Service, a local non-profit organization.
On Thursday, many Pointe-Aux-Chene residents and other disaster agencies dedicated one of the new hurricane resistant prototype homes for longtime bayou region residents, Forest and Ann Billiot.
“This home means a lot to me and my family. I felt like God would bless us with a home. We thank all the volunteers for their help,” said Ann Billiot, wiping tears from her face.
For the past year, Forest, 50, and Ann, 44, have lived with relatives since their 17-year-old trailer was damaged badly during Hurricane Rita. Ann Billiot said the home-dedication was what the family needed to start putting their lives back together.
“Our old trailer will be hauled away taking our memories with it. It’s time for us to make some new memories in our new home,” she said. “We are just going to enjoy ourselves for a while.”
At the house dedication, more than 50 people stood underneath the 12-foot structure listening to heartfelt stories of volunteers who decided that spending their vacation basking in the sun was not as important as helping someone in need.
“This brings great emotions that can’t be expressed in words. We can’t collectively imagine what Forest and Ann were thinking after the storm or the joy they feel to get the keys to their new home,” said Randy Verdun, chairman of the Louisiana Coastal Tribe Coalition.
In a brief prayer, Rev. Keith Naquin blessed the Billiot’s home saying “may this house be secure from its foundation to its roof.”
Canadian-based Anabaptist organization, Mennonite Disaster Service identified the initial housing reconstruction need in the Bayou Region and Shelter For Life International of Wisconsin supplied that need. The Wisconsin-based Christian organization is involved in the pilot project to develop a comprehensive “how to” plan to construct 1,000 square feet homes built above flood levels, 12 to 14 feet high, that can withstand 155 miles per hour winds all around the region.
“It took about four months for volunteers, engineers and architects to reconstruct the home on the Oak Point Road lot. The work was started in June and it’s just about complete,” said Jim Shelley, the MDS’s field consultant.
The hurricane resistant home in Pointe-Aux-Chenes is one of 136 homes, including homes in Alabama, Mississippi and New Orleans, which have been built by the disaster volunteers.
In a few months, volunteers will soon move down the bayou near Pointe-Aux-Chenes where the second hurricane resistant home is being constructed in Isle de Jean Charles. Shelter for Life now has enough money to rebuild storm-damaged houses in Galliano, Dulac and another in Pointe-aux-Chenes, Shelley said.
