SIDE SALAD - Everything crunchy is good.

NOTE FROM THE CLEANUP CREW

My buddy Drew, who helped in the Hurricane Andrew cleanup, is spending today helping with the Hurricane Charley cleanup. He's taking two of his boys to Arcadia to help out. It's his third day he and a co-worker have taken off work so they can help. He sent this note Thursday with a couple photos:

Jeff,

Day 1 was a smoker. Pat and I take pride in our fitness level, but we were reduced to sniveling ladies after a day full of cutting, dragging, pulling and lifting. Despite our exhaustion, we left after day one knowing we are making a difference… small, but still a difference.

The two pictures (Photo No. 1, Photo No. 2) I sent are from Desoto Village, a retirement village outside of Arcadia. Seeing people who remind me of my grandparents and parents trying to carry 40 pound bags of ice over twisted metal and wood was too much to take. We did our best in clearing a pathway around what’s left of their homes.

Too many stories to tell… all sad, happy, bad and good news. We are working through the local American Legion who has set up their own Operations Center. Picture a State Run EOC and remove all the Red Tape, and that’s the American Legion. They are making things happen and we went to several homes of elderly people who were trapped in or out of their homes to cut our way in so they could start to get their lives back in order. All “Salt of the Earth” people.

American Legion handed me a Home Depot Card for $2,000 this evening and asked me to get what I think the people could use from our local Home Depot. The closest one to them was an hour away and too difficult for them to get to. They just handed it over to me and said, “Make it Happen.” I take pride in the fact that they trusted me that quickly, and I find myself humbled by their faith.

Pat and I head out again early tomorrow morning with a truck full of supplies. I am pulling Curtis and DJ from School on Friday to bring them down and give them a lesson in being a neighbor.

Any ideas you have on soliciting help from our local area, I am all ears.

Talk Soon,

Drew