Well yesterday was a good day. We cut the ribbon on the new volunteer center sponsored by the Rebuild Jackson County Commision. This is the old Pascagoula High School Gymnasium. Since the city built a new high school this building has been used for basketball practice, social events as well as storage. Annie Card and her partner Tammy (Operation TLC) were able to aqcuire this building from the Mayor back in June. Since they got the building they have been gung-ho on rebuilding it and making it suitable for facilitating volunteers. I gave a couple television interviews and was excited with the community response for our role in this volunteer center. Not that we need any kind of pat on the back, but I believe always give credit where credit is due. : D

Back in July I met Annie Card while she was at the church looking for some building materials. Ever since then I have invested alot of time into helping them rebuild the building and get materials and such on the job site. I started cooking for them and the Americorps teams a couple months ago and they have been at the restaurant pretty much every week, Monday - Friday. I would like to thank all the ladies up at the restaurant, Americorps and all the community leaders including Chevron and Northrop Grumman Ship Systems for their support and steadfast dedication to rebuilding Pascagoula. Also in need of recognition would be Project Recovery! They are part of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health and serve the community with morale, post Katrina depression and other related hardship issues. Thank you John Dobbs for you comments in your blog today.

I have invited Valerie Demazio of the Jackson County Rebuild Commision, Annie Card and Tammy of Operation TLC, Latan Griffin the Director of Habitat for Humanity and the Americorps / Project Recovery taems to a BBQ/Bonfire on the beach Wednesday. I am going to cook up 60-70 chickens and some other goodies so you guys better be there! : )

I had another fantastic thing happen yesterday also. My good friend Larry Sheddy came down from Hope Missions in Pennsylvania. Larry has been here on multiple occasions with teams helping us rebuild the community. It was great to see him and John and as I understand it they will be here till Thursday as they are planning their next trip and kinda doing a recon of where to go next. We look foward to having you back Larry!

Well outside of that not much is going on. I'm still burning up the phone trying to find funds for my scheduled trip next week. If you know anyone who would be generous enough to contribute a gas card or some money for this trip please have them call me at the Central Church of Christ.

Thank you all for reading and I'll post some pictures of the new volunteer center later today.