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Released 8 September 2008
Baton Rouge, LA
"This is the office of the Louisiana Attorney General. We have Attorney
General Inspectors on the ground in a retirement community of about 200 who
have not received meals since the storm. Is there anyway you can get food to
them?"
"We will be departing with food and drinks in less than 20 minutes..." said
Operations Officer Captain Paul Gilliam of Owensboro, Kentucky.
Captain Gilliam turned to the incident command team, and continued, "OK, I
need 250 meals in route in 20 minutes. How do we do it?"
We did it, and served it side-by-side with Inspectors for the Attorney
General "Buddy" Caldwell's office. Grateful faces of senior citizens and
those with special needs, collected their hot lunches and extra sandwiches.
They reluctantly departed, but with our promise to return with a hot dinner and
more water.
Together we served a total of 283 meals and 150 drinks for lunch. A canteen
is already loaded and returning to the site for dinner. The Salvation Army is
committed to meeting those needs as long as it exists.
Captain Gilliam is in Baton Rouge to bring his experience and skill-set to
meet the needs of those affected by Hurricane Gustav. For two-weeks, he will
serve as the main ‘problem-solver' for the numerous obstacles encountered
when initiating a disaster response.
The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by
Hurricane Gustav to visit www.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY. Monetary
donations are needed to meet survivors' most immediate needs. A $100 donation
will feed a family of four for two days, provide two cases of drinking water
and one household cleanup kit, containing brooms, mops, buckets and cleaning
supplies. The Salvation Army is currently not accepting donations of clothing
and furniture for storm victims, please forward these donations to The
Salvation Army Family Store nearest you.
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Media Contact Information
Chris McGown
Public
Information Officer
404-397-5268
PIO2@uss.salvationarmy.org