Bronc Soccer Club set for weekend games
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THE
PAN AMERICAN T h e S t u d e n t N e w s p a p e r o f T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Te x a s - P a n A m e r i c a n
September 8, 2005
By MELISSA MARTINEZ The Pan American
SURVIVING Trey and Detrionne Morgan, both 4, play outside the Immanuel Baptist Church Shelter in Hammond, La. Saturday afternoon. Their family’s home was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Photos by Melissa Martinez
It’s all about survival
Melissa Martinez, senior communication major and staff photographer of The Pan American, traveled to Louisiana Friday, Sept. 2, and stayed the weekend. Here is her first-hand account of the journey into a state of emergency. HAMMOND, La. - You don’t have to travel into New Orleans to see the devastation that Hurricane Katrina left behind. Just 51 miles north of the city is Hammond, with a population of about 18,000. Along the streets of Hammond, there are 100-foot trees uprooted and billboard signs thrown over the roofs of houses, scattered like toys. The streets of Hammond are chaotic as people honk their horns at the car in front of them. The cars are not waiting for the light at the intersection to turn green; they are waiting to fill up their cars with gas. Lines there are about one to two blocks long. They are willing to wait up to an hour, as gas in these parts is scarce. Some stations are limiting customers to $20 purchases. “I’ve been waiting in this damn line for about 30 minutes now and I don’t know how much longer I’ll be waiting,” said Nick Trinh, who waited anxiously at a Circle K. Despite the situation with the cost of gas, The Red Cross and the Texas Disaster Relief are on the move in Hammond to help victims of the hurricane. Sidney Ray Clark, 51, is a volunteer with the Texas Baptist Unit, one of four units of the Texas Disaster Relief from Dallas who is setting up water at the Immanuel Baptist Church on Pecan Street in Hammond, along with The Red Cross. The other three Texas units are the Tarrant Baptist unit, Odessa unit and the Aubrey Mathis unit. “I’m just doing my part in this whole mess. We’ve been here for about four days now helping out, and we won’t leave until our goals are met,” said Clark. The Red Cross has also been helping the city of Hammond. Workers have also set up at the Immanuel Baptist Church. On Saturday alone, volunteers served about 10,000 plates along with water. Lauren Poche, 17, of Woodland Park, volunteered at Immanuel Baptist Church. “Today we’re serving rice with chili, and some
See LOUISIANA page 11
Customized volunteering UTPA offers assistance By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American There are hundreds of thousands of non-profit organizations in the country, all just waiting for the chance to help someone in need. However, sometimes, even they need a helping hand. Thanks to the new Volunteer Resource Program (VRP) created by the staff at the Non-profit Resource Center at The University of Texas-Pan American Annex, those organizations will get the aid they need. VRP is one of the organizations given grants by the Corporation for
National and Community Service. Of 1,150 applicants, only 13 were chosen. VRP is the only grantee in Texas, as well as the only higher education institution in the nation selected. Flor Zamora, program coordinator, said that it was necessary to create the VRP because of great demand. “Throughout the years, we’ve heard thorough needs-assessment surveys that the non-profit organizations are in need of volunteers who have specialized skills to offer their organizations such as those offered by UTPA kids,” Zamora said.
See VOLUNTEER page 6
By EMMA CLARK The Pan American Jonathan Howe, a junior psychology pre-med student, walked away from New Orleans Sunday, Aug. 28 to piece together a temporary life in San Francisco. With the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina now firmly sinking in around the Gulf states, students from Louisiana are facing a crucial time in their college career. Or what is left of it. The University of New Orleans estimates one-third of the campus is below water, but also expects to have electronic classes available to students in October. It is not known when the campus will
re-open. Howe remains firm in saying that he will return to New Orleans and to Loyola University, sooner rather than later. “There’s not that much water, in the campus or my parish,” he said. “So, I’ll be back in the spring.” Loyola University in New Orleans experienced minimal physical damage, but officials say that rising water is a concern. The doors will open again January 2006. Howe arrived in Houston just over a week ago. He left New Orleans early to beat the traffic, before the mandatory evacuation came into effect. There, he was fortunate enough to stay with friends in
See HURRICANE page 11
Melissa Martinez/The Pan American HOME AND AWAY - Sidney Ray Clark, 51, a volunteer from the Texas Baptist Unit, Dallas unloads water from his truck Saturday for the Red Cross to distribute in Hammond.