Katrina's Angels is soooo busy these days....

Good Morning!

Sorry I haven't had a chance to blog lately. Katrina's Angels (KA) is undergoing a big volunteer campaign as well as filling Director positions and making web site changes, so I have been busy with training. To check out our many volunteer positions available, go to: http://www.katrinasangels.org/Volunteers.asp

We have made the decision to fund raise for a warehouse so that we have a place to store in-kind donations until we need them, as well as an office area and space for volunteers to stay during times of crises. In the past, we have had to turn down many perfectly good offers of donations and supplies because we have no where to store them. To that end, our new Advisory Board Member Kija Brooks, an EA and Assistant Director for Law & Order:CI, has agreed to help us to raise both awareness of our organization and money so that we may continue our work. We also are looking for Fund Raising Angels that may want to do a fund raiser for us. This can include families or school groups.

We want to get back to helping those in need. Thank you for any help you can give us!

Donations can be sent to:
Katrina's Angels
Financial Director Cheryl Bystrak
10535 Bergtold Road
Clarence, NY 14031

Please Welcome Our New Media/PR Director and Media Assistant!

Hello, everyone!

Please join me in welcoming our new Media/PR Director, Ronnie Sykes, a resident of New York who is currently the Marketing Manager for an international marketing company. Ronnie also has been a past Deputy Director of Intergovernmental and Strategic Operations for the Office of the Bronx Borough in New York.

Please also welcome our new Media Assistant, Clara Robin, a resident of Michigan. Clara had returned to school, so she is graduating from Rochester College in just a few weeks with a BS in Mass Communications with an emphasis on Broadcasting. Clara also is receiving a certificate in Television Broadcasting. Clara's experience includes past projects with the Cannes Film Festival and the New York International Film & Video Festivals which shows she has lots to offer Katrina's Angels.

We have been working hard to assemble a team that can carry Katrina's Angels, Inc. into the future.

Karen Iwicki
Program Director

Please Welcome Our New Resource Director!

Please join me in welcoming Katrina's Angels' new Resource Director, Robin Peak, of Denver, CO. She has a lot of background as an executive assistant, legal analyst, grant administrator, and computer consultant. I am certain we can partake of her endless talents.

Robin will be handling the Resource Library on the forum as well as directing all Community Angels and Resource Angels in their endeavors. I am certain that she can provide us with a new perspective and ideas to carry the Resource Department into the future.

As soon as the Technology Department has made some changes to the emails, Robin will be able to be reached at ResourceDirector@katrinasangels.org.

Karen Iwicki
ProgramDirector@kkatrinasangels.org

How The Public Can Help

This evening, I would like to remind everyone of two under-utilized tools Katrina's Angels has available on our web site at http://www.katrinasangels.org.

If you have a housing opportunity such as a house, apartment, or room
for rent in a disaster-stricken area or very nearby you may post it
at: http://www.katrinasangels.org/Housing.asp

If you have a paying job to offer in a disaster-stricken area or very nearby, you may post it at:
http://www.katrinasangels.org/Employment.asp

You never know, you just may help someone in need!

Thank You!

Going Green Update

Remember the other day when we were contacted about another truckload of product from Jaeckle Distributors? We are directing this truckload to Operation Nehemiah in New Orleans, LA., where they have already rebuilt hundreds of homes.

Here's what is going down there:

9.000 sf commercial grade composite tile (misc. colors)
13 or so solid surface sinks
400-500 sf of ceramic floor and wall tile
150 sf wood laminate flooring
3 skids of misc. cabinetry hardware

Operation Nehemiah Director Fred Franke said they can always use donations, even food and paper products for serving the hundreds of volunteers that come to help. Check them out at: http://operationnehemiah.com/

Happy Earth Day!

Going Green

Jaeckle Distributors of Madison, WI is once again donating to our Alternative to Dumping - Going Green project. They have been amazing! All of the materials they have been donating have been going to help rebuild homes in the gulf instead of being dumped into landfills. For that we are grateful.

We were contacted this morning about another truckload of product: a mix of cabinetry hardware, ceramic flooring and vinyl tile 12x12 flooring. I beleive this one will be headed to an area that needs it most: St. Bernard Parish in New Orleans, LA.

Shake, Rattle and Roll!

Good morning, everyone!

I was somewhat startled awake very early this morning just past 4:30am. Being alone in the house, I was a little bit confused. My budgies were chirping loudly, flying frantically around their cage, and I thought they were fighting. I thought my dogs were barking because they were mad at the birds or something. At first I scolded them, then tried to calm them down, which took a few minutes. I noticed some weird creaks about my 1870's home, and the rooster also crowing loudly, but I had been in a deep sleep, so I thought nothing of it. It took a few minutes to calm the animals down and give them fresh water, and then I went back to bed.

This morning, my daughter phoned to ask me if I felt the earthquake. I live in Wisconsin about an hour or so from Chicago or Milwaukee to the west, so I was startled by the reports of the unusual event. Today, my dogs are very loving and are following me around. This shows that no area is immune to quakes, I guess. It definitely gives one pause.

Have A Nice Day!

Karen Iwicki
ProgramDirector@katrinasangels.org