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Tuesday, September 6, 2005
23 Evacuees Leave Albuquerque Center
By Leann Holt And Katie Burford
Journal Staff Writer
An army of relief workers outnumbered hurricane survivors Monday at the Albuquerque Convention Center, as some of the evacuees were moved out to local hotels and homes.
At least 23 of the 90 New Orleans residents who were flown in Sunday afternoon had been moved out. Some were staying with family members who live in Albuquerque.
Those in hotels included some who had medical conditions that made it difficult for them to stay with the group, Red Cross spokeswoman Kathy Komoll said.
Others, such as Lonnell James, had some money in his pocket and wanted to treat his family to a couple of nights in a hotel.
He said staying at the Doubletree Hotel was "hard on the wallet" but something he thought his mother, two siblings and girlfriend needed after their ordeal in New Orleans.
Although officials initially said that up to 6,000 evacuees could be brought to New Mexico, they said no more transport flights were Albuquerque-bound Monday. They do not know if any would arrive later in the week.
"At the present time, there are no additional evacuees on their way to New Mexico," Tim Manning, director of the governor's Office of Homeland Security, said Monday afternoon.
New Orleans shelters that had drawn large concentrations of people had been emptied, he said.
Nearly 140,000 hurricane refugees are in 137 shelters in Texas, while thousands of others have been moved as far as Colorado, Wisconsin and elsewhere around the nation.
Rescue workers in New Orleans are going through neighborhoods and finding people still stranded in their homes in the city and surrounding areas. When enough people have been gathered to fill a plane, they could be transported to New Mexico, Manning said.
Local diversions
About 60 remained at the Convention Center on Monday, and they had their share of activities to relieve the boredom.
Besides movies, Internet and computer games, some were treated to a University of New Mexico Lobos football game during the afternoon, while another group was taken to local beauty shops for haircuts and styling.
The donations of food and clothing were overwhelming. One end of a ballroom in the Convention Center was filled with racks of clothing, shoes, toys and other donations. The other end was lined with stacks of food.
So many donations came into the Salvation Army that the group has stopped taking clothing.
Mayor Martin Chávez said people from more than 500 homes had volunteered to take people in.
"We're a small state, but we have a big heart," first lady Barbara Richardson said after a tour of the temporary shelter.
Representatives from many religious disciplines were on hand throughout the day to provide emotional and spiritual support.
Bruce Wilder, pastor of Faith Lutheran Church, was coordinating the steady stream of ministers, priests and pastors who wanted to help.
"When people roll up their sleeves and help, denominational lines are broken down and Christian love prevails," he said. "What a blessing it's been to see Islamic, Jewish and Catholic and Protestant leaders come and want to do their part."
Pastors and members of almost a dozen African- American churches in the Albuquerque area were on hand to provide their support to the group of mostly African-American evacuees.
"It's important that they see people who look like them," said Charles Becknell Jr., associate pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church.
"No one can really explain what it feels like to have something familiar, whether it's conversation, food or stories that we share."
Several black churches are working to provide for the displaced residents a service and "soul food" meal at God's House Church on Wednesday night, said Bishop Shelby, pastor of God's House.
Evacuee Desiree Thompson's face lit up when she heard she might be going to a church service.
"The help of God— that's what got me here," she said.
Getting kids in school
About 15 children were still housed at the Convention Center on Monday.
"Our first priority is to get these kids in school," said Albuquerque Public Schools spokeswoman Liz Shipley.
The district will have a representative to sign children up for area schools. Those children will not need a birth certificate or any of the other usual documentation necessary for enrollment.
Shipley said APS will receive federal money to provide clothing, school supplies and tutoring to the children.
Not everyone who wanted to lend a hand or make a donation to the evacuees Monday was able to do so. Many potential volunteers and donors, including a rabbi and a woman wanting to donate cell phones and chargers, were turned away at the Convention Center doors.
Komoll said the organization has simply been overwhelmed with volunteers.
Also, guidelines dictate that volunteers go through an orientation before they interact with evacuees, she said.
"We don't want people to think they're not important," she said. "We just want to try and process it as much as we can."
She urged people not to come to the Convention Center to volunteer or make donations. Instead, she said, go to local assistance organizations. They are routing hurricane-designated items first to evacuees in Albuquerque. Any leftovers will go to storm victims in other locations, she said.