I am deploying to Hurricane Katrina Relief tomorrow (Monday).

[IdaBriggs]

I will be deploying to Montgomery, Alabama with the Red Cross tomorrow (Monday) for ten days. I am not sure where I will be sent once I get there, but I am told electricity / water are not guaranteed. :(

As part of my "Red Cross" persona, I am NOT allowed to "be political." This is something I agree with -- Red Cross provides services to everyone regardless of race, religion, or politics -- but its going to be a challenge for me. I am confident I can do it, and I agree "its the right thing to do." I just don't like it.

So, I'm going to have to count on you folks to keep "stepping up" while I'm gone. :) Please remember to make the phone calls -- the ones demanding accountability from the White House. Don't forget the phone number is [phone] or [phone] if you just want to leave a message. Your Senators and Representatives also need to hear from you (www.senate.gov and www.house.gov), and letters to the editors would also be most appreciated.

I'm off to help take care of our fellow citizens; I trust you folks to take care of the country while I'm gone. :)

Wish me luck -- I'm kind of nervous!

And thanks for being one of my favorite places on the net!

Best, Ida

P.S. Thank you all for the wonderful messages -- I'll read everything "one last time" before I leave! :grouphug:

[The Traveler]

1. Good luck, Ida!

You have a chance to do some real good in the world ... thanks for taking that chance. Proud of ya.

And we'll keep the heat on ...

[yorkiemommie1]

2. all the best to you !

i'm proud of you !

[K8-EEE]

3. You're Awesome!

Thanks for doing this, you're a great citizen. Hey if by chance they send you to NOLA can you please look around for my friend's brother, Barry Cowsill. He's a musician who played from time to time in the French Quarter. He was still there after the hurrican but no word now. Again thank you for your service to your fellow Americans!

[SoCalDem]

4. Be careful of all the germs... Take plenty of this

[expatriot]

11. and plenty of this...

I know I am. I am like a broken bug zapper. I attract all the bugs to me in a given area but I don't do the "zapping" part. I am a bug magnet and am very fortunate to live where I currently live, dry Arizona where the bugs are not that bad. But when I get my RC deployment, I am going to bring plenty of bug spray.

[MadisonProgressive]

5. If you see Georgie, kick him in the ass for me!

[spuddonna]

6. Thank you! And good luck! :)

We're still praying for all the people hurt by Katrina and the disasters afterwards. Tell them we won't forget them!

Peace!

[expatriot]

7. I just did my two day Red Cross training this weekend

in Tucson. Mass Care and Sheltering. They're going to be sending us out in waves over the next few weeks for 2-3 week deployments to as of yet unknown destinations. How long has it been since your training?

[joanne]

8. You are wonderful Ida!

:grouphug:

[IdaBriggs]

10. Just finished it last Wednesday -- same courses!

I'm with "the first wave" from Michigan. I also have ten years (91-02) with them as an Instructor (First Aid/CPR) which is partly what is sending me out so quickly (I think). Maybe I'll see you there!

:hi:

[expatriot]

13. I don't know where I'll be going but there's always a chance.

not that we'll know it if we did run into eachother (thanks to the non-political rule).

:)

[SoCalDem]

14. you could PM each other your cell phone numbers

:)

[IdaBriggs]

22. I post under my "real" name here on DU, so .... nt

[SeattleGirl]

9. Good luck in your work there, Ida, and take care of yourself.

It is a good thing you are doing.

:hug:

[Liberty Belle]

12. Please contact me

via pm. I'm working on an article about a possible govt. coverup of the body count. I'd be interested in your confidential assessment of how many bodies you see, and what others on the scene have to say.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

15. Both of you make us proud. I know that you will have all the

precautions you need, so thank you for helping. I still can't walk (broken ankle, big time) or I would be with you. It really stinks, to feel so needed and not be able to help.

Please write a journal so you can share your stories with us.

[Booster]

16. Take care of yourself, Ida, and bless you for volunteering. I'm

glad, I think, that you're going to Alabama; my neighbor just got back from volunteering in New Orleans and she said it was really bad. She's volunteered w/Red Cross for a very long time and she said this is the first time she has ever seen them in such disaray. They don't seem to know what they're doing and no one is in charge so she was very happy to come home.

[oldtime dfl_er]

17. Good luck to you, Ida!

You are the best!

[rumpel]

18. Really proud of you & thanks.

[Generic Other]

19. TAke care!! We will keep the partisan bickering alive

while you are gone.

[flygal]

20. Good luck and thank you for all you're doing

[Be Brave]

21. Good luck and be safe! Your countrymen thanks you! n/t

[IdaBriggs]

23. Leaving in about fifteen minutes -- thanks, again, everyone!

Talk to you in about ten days! :) Best, Ida