From Gloucester (MA) Daily Times Online - Plus Edition (September 10, 2005)

RELOCATED CAMP CASEY PROVIDES LOUISIANA RELIEF
by Paul Saint-Amand
September 10, 2001
Gloucester Daily Times, Gloucester, MA
CRAWFORD, TX. The “White Rose” bus of the Veterans For Peace Chapter 116 of Mendocino County left Camp Casey in Crawford, Texas last week, and headed to the north side of Lake Pontchartrain to provide direct relief to the community of Covington, LA. With no landline or cell phone towers available in the area, Gordon Soderberg sends out urgent dispatches daily via the bus’s satellite connection to the Internet.
“ We are here; CAMP CASEY is alive; the food is cooking; and we are handing out supplies to the citizens of the community.  We need help,” writes Soderberg in an email on Friday. Camp Casey veterans joined the Louisiana Activist Network on the corner of Tyler and 28th Street in Covington, LA where they set up camp and opened up a soup kitchen and medical station in the Reverend Peter Atkins Park.
This weekend, they began to operate out of Covington’s Pine View Middle School on 28th Street, distributing water and supplies. Former Gulf War I and Vietnam medics are providing medical support for the many families and children victimized by last week’s devastating hurricane.
When the veterans arrived, they saw first-hand the plight of Katrina’s victims. “There is no government here! The Louisiana National Guard is not here. Only we are here and the people of this community are in distress.” Soderberg asks for much needed supplies including baby supplies, wipes, diapers, lotions and water. A lot of water and purification tablets. “We need a big generator, diesel fuel, solar powered lights, canned food, and hard candy like lollypops for the kids.”
A second VFP bus left for Houston to provide food and medical support for arrivals from New Orleans where they will be housed in Houston’s Astrodome.
Retired Army Colonel and former diplomat Ann Wright’s voice was strained by almost four weeks of constant Texas heat, dust and effort as Camp Casey’s “field commander.” “It’s bad. Real bad. These people have been through so much. And we’re going to help them any way we can,” Wright assured me.
Trained volunteers, donations, and supplies are desperately needed. Blankets, chairs, tarps and canned food from the Crawford Peace House have arrived. Austin VFP sent a truckload of diesel fuel and other much needed supplies, and another truck from Norman, Oklahoma left Sunday for Covington.
Soderberg lists food bank and delivery volunteers, trucks and vans as a priority. Self-contained kitchens with generators, utensil, office and media equipment are needed.
“ Donations for our multimedia equipment will support refugees, volunteers, Red Cross, staff, the press, and allow us to keep in touch through via email, web, blogs, and teleconferencing. This is the only way to insure our message of help gets out,” emphasizes Soderberg.
The group is also asking citizens to sign a petition to the US government to open closed military bases to house the hurricane victims. Information and the petition can be found at http://www.petitiononline.com/10000008/petition.html.
The group hopes someone will volunteer to pay its monthly satellite access and website hosting fee. Most of its resources and supplies from Camp Casey have gone to support the families of Covington. Both FED EX and UPS can deliver to Veterans For Peace, Chapter 116 in Baton Rouge, LA.
Tax deductible donations can be sent to Veterans For Peace, Chapter 116, 28500 Sherwood Rd, Willits CA 95490.

Paul Saint-Amand teaches at the State University of New York, Potsdam, is chapter president of North Country Veterans for Peace, Chapter 121, Potsdam, NY and a member of Veterans For Peace, Chapter 45, Ipswich.