News Releases

Publications

Media Center

Landscapes - Summer 2006 Issue

After winning second place in grooming at the Dixie National in 2005, Alyssa Hoda had her heart set on going to the show again this year with her heifer Rose. Unfortunately, Hurricane Katrina blew away her hope of competing. When the eye of the storm raged across Hancock County, Miss., on Aug. 29, the water and wind damaged her family barn and ruined her show equipment. The family was forced to put the heifer in the pasture.

Margaret Howell, the 4-H agent in Hancock County, can tell story after story of 4-H members like Hoda, whose lives were altered when a 20-foot wave of water slammed the county that day. She might tell you about the family who lost many of their horses during the storm, or the high school student who scrounged to find buckets of fresh water for his hog. She could describe her former office, which was totally submerged, ruining historic 4-H memorabilia and club supplies that took years to collect.

Above all, she definitely will tell you about the generous donations from around the country that has kept the 4-H clubs in Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties going — generosity that has given the students something to look forward to in the months ahead.

Overwhelmed by Kindness

Nine months after the storm, the impact is still being felt in the coastal areas. Many people are still without their homes, and almost 70 percent of the tax base is gone. Every county office in Hancock County was destroyed, and county employees are instead working in modular buildings and tents. Recreational facilities remain closed, including movie theaters, parks and playgrounds. Funding for programs like 4-H will prove challenging, as county funds have been diverted to rebuilding, and grant funds are being stretched to the limit.

“It’s going to take a lot for us to get back to where we were before,” Howell says. “We’ve lost half of our 4-H’ers in this county because they’ve been displaced.”

But the situation is far from hopeless. Support from around the country has been widespread. And the 4-H students, full of energy and enthusiasm, are one reminder that good times are ahead. They are quick to talk about their plans for next year. For them, the storm was a temporary setback.

Gwen Smith, Extension county director in Hancock County, quickly points out another positive outcome. “What overwhelmed us more than the devastation was the generosity of the American people,” Smith says.

Special Donations Get Clubs Up and Running

To help the 4-H clubs in the devastated coastal counties, the 4-H Club Foundation of Mississippi, Inc. encouraged contributions, hoping to raise an additional $24,000 in relief funds. The Land Banks of Mississippi together donated $7,000 to that effort in addition to their annual 4-H donations.

“The 4-H programs down in the coastal area lost the local resources they had to work with, and we were asked to contribute to help meet their needs,” says Jessie Purvis, chief executive officer of Land Bank South. “The Land Bank in North Mississippi joined with us. Even though the area was not in their territory, they wanted to help,” he says.

Purvis was pleased to attend an awards banquet and learn how the money was being used to help students in the 4-H program. “It’s uplifting to hear a good story after the storm,” he says. “The county Extension employees deserve gold stars for keeping things going. Our part was easy, just giving a little money for them to use.”

The funds are being used to replenish the supplies that were ruined and provide for day camps this summer. Howell has ordered several starter kits for the school clubs, which include items such as 4-H and American flags, a gavel and award ribbons.

Day Camps Provide Normalcy

In late June, the county 4-H program in Hancock County will host a one-day environmental art day camp. The camp is open to the public and provides kids with hands-on art activities that educate them about water, soil, forestry and recycling. Day camps will also be held in Harrison and Jackson counties.

“These camps are important not only to return these kids to a sense of normalcy as much as possible,” Smith says. “They also give them something to look forward to. Without the typical recreation they’d normally have during the summer, these camps will give them something to do,” she says.

For that, parents and 4-H volunteers are grateful. “Our regular club meetings go a long way towards helping our 4-H’ers on the long road back to recovery,” says Marcia Freeman, a parent volunteer with the Hancock County 4-H program. “My prayer is that our children will look back on this experience, remember the love and compassion shown to them, and pass it on to others in need.”

For more information about Operation 4-H Relief, contact Morris Houston at the 4-H Club Foundation of Mississippi, Inc. at (601) 829-3611 or Box 9601, Mississippi State, MS 39762.

Article and photos by Penny Currie