Operation Photo Rescue's Online Community

Volunteer Planet => The Tool Bar => Topic started by: glennab on August 24, 2007, 11:18:49 AM

Title: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: glennab on August 24, 2007, 11:18:49 AM
Hi Volunteers,

This is your first missive from Mississippi.  It's the beginning of our second day, and we're pumped.  It's been wonderful meeting the team and working with them.  But best of all is helping the people who've brought in their photos.

We gathered about 1000 images yesterday as well has had many inspiring and uplifting discussions with people who are more gracious and decent than you can imagine.  The general attitude of the folks who have come in is that they're blessed -- no  matter how much they've lost.

A lovely elderly lady came in with a large wrapped photo, approached me, and said "I don't think you can do anything with this, but I thought I'd bring it in."  It was a gorgeous portrait of 2 children -- with minimal damage.  An easy restoration in any of our books.  When I told her we'd have no trouble restoring her photo, she burst into tears.  The photo was a 35-year old portrait of her two children.  We've been close to tears, as have our photo "donors" on a regular basis.  Had a pretty good cry once the day was over.

The stories of loss will tear your heart out, and the optimism of the citizens of Biloxi warm my heart and make me proud.  After two years, many of the photos are still wet, and we're using up bottles of hand sanitizer because of the mold and debris.  Unimaginable unless you're here.

The team hails from all over the country -- California, Virginia, Wisconsin, Florida, Shreveport, LA, and places beyond.

Most of the team are photographers, so we'll have an extensive collections of photos to document the trip.  I'm keeping a journal, so I'm (go figure) the historian.

We had a reporter here yesterday interviewing everyone.  Waiting to see if an article has been published.

The team split up last night to loosen up and chew over the day's intensity.  All I can say is "What happens in Biloxi stays in Biloxi!"

I'm going to sign off, because we started the morning before opening time with a full house.  Whoo hoo!

More news at 11.  Wish you were all here.  This is the most awesome experience imaginable.

Hugs from Biloxi,

Glenna
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: cmpentecost on August 24, 2007, 11:35:37 AM
Ahem...Glenna.  You forgot to mention Montana!!

Christine
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Hannie on August 24, 2007, 01:06:56 PM
Hi Glenna,

Thank you for the touching report of your trip to Biloxi, sounds like quite an experience.  As I read your words, images appeared in my mind that moved me. 
Hope the rest of your stay is wonderful too!
Big hugs for everyone!
(Glenna, you got me really curious with the "what happens in Biloxi...")   :halo:

Hannie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: phischer on August 24, 2007, 01:18:25 PM
I'm glad to hear that all is going well.  1000 pictures in day! Wow.  I guess there should be plenty of work for everyone.  602 members and rising.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: cmpentecost on August 24, 2007, 02:46:26 PM
Hi Hannie,

I'm not sure if you ever see advertising for Las Vegas in the area that you live, but Las Vegas advertises that "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas".  Glenna's comment is a take on Las Vegas.  It's a humorous comment.  However.....we're still sticking to our "what happens in Biloxi, stays in Biloxi!!!"

Christine
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Mhayes on August 24, 2007, 02:52:27 PM
Wow!

I'm impressed with the 1,000 pictures in a day—is this a normal OPR rescue? What great news. It felt like lately everyone was in a holding pattern waiting for the next batch of pictures. Hearing what is going on makes you excited and proud to be a part of OPR.

Keep us posted, or at least the part that can leave Biloxi.   ;)
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Hannie on August 24, 2007, 04:32:38 PM
Chris, thank you for explaining that to me!  Knowing all you said I'm even more curious (worried?)now!  ;D

Hannie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: kiska on August 24, 2007, 04:41:53 PM
We'll get it out of 'em.............BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY!

Actually they're probably sitting in their hotel rooms at night, knitting, and want us to think they're having a better time than we are. OR they could be carousing till all hours.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: cmpentecost on August 24, 2007, 05:06:28 PM
Hey Kiska,

What color sweater did you want me to knit for you again?  :o)

Chris
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: kiska on August 24, 2007, 05:16:43 PM
 :funny:


Yeah, riiiiiiiight! Ain't gonna hold my breath.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: phischer on August 24, 2007, 05:27:08 PM
They're just trying to make it sound good so we will all go next time. :funny:
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: klassylady25 on August 24, 2007, 06:28:09 PM
Have you learned how to say = Biloxi?  lol
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Tess (Tassie D) on August 24, 2007, 07:47:47 PM
It sounds like a wonderful, emotional time for everyone. Can't wait to have you all back with all the photos.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Dave on August 24, 2007, 07:58:54 PM
OMG ... there are so many pictures. We'll be working late tonight.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: sanbie on August 24, 2007, 08:55:04 PM
It does sound like you are all having a wonderful emotionally charged time...and working your butts off to boot!!
It's good to know that you are doing such a wonderful job there and look forward to your return and seeing the pictures...
I do hope you are getting little bits of information from the people and taking notes of what is actually in the photographs...PLEASE!!

Keep up the good work

Sanbie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: cmpentecost on August 24, 2007, 10:56:31 PM
Seeing the emotional side of the whole project is undescribable.  I have an entirely new perspective on what the victims of Katrina went thru.  When a person comes in with a box of photos and breaks down in tears as they start to go thru them, your heart breaks.

Chris
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: beckysell on August 24, 2007, 11:31:02 PM
Glad to hear it is such a success!!!  I'm thinking about you all from NY.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: John on August 25, 2007, 09:31:41 AM
Great job guys.... really wish I had been able to make the trip, the reports coming back are great.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: klassylady25 on August 25, 2007, 09:33:05 AM
::) Chrsi....   People are what it's all about. These are the true survivors. 
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: glennab on August 26, 2007, 11:29:21 PM
Post Biloxi post:

Hi volunteers.  The Florida contingent of the Biloxi Team is safely home.  I caught a flight at 2 this afternoon while several of our crew was whooping it up at a birthday party for an elderly lady for whom OPR had done restorations on a previous run.  The rascals!  Lauren Terry, who lives about an hour from Dave and crew flew home at 4.  Two wonderfully dedicated gentlemen who DROVE to Bilox left for home early this morning; Ed for a 10-hour drive to Illinois and Mike (the Ogre -- he claims -- but he's full of delta mud!) for a 20-hour drive to Wisconsin.

I have a pretty extensive journal and a mind that won't stop going over all the incredible experiences of the trip.  I can tell you that OPR was represented by a group of the most wonderful people I've ever met (I would have expected no less).  We cried, we laughed, we took in, if I remember Dave's estimate, approximately 2500 images by the end of Saturday.  We met with and talked to some of the most exceptional survivors.  No one complained about the limit we set on the photos we could accept.  We heard unforgettable stories of loss, courage and optimism.  I suspect I'm not going to be in the "real" world for a week or so.  I'll try to send you bits and snippets from my journal in the coming weeks.  Right now I'm so pooped I'm about to fall on my face -- and I have to be at work tom'w, so I'll say goodnight, and I genuinely wish you all could have been there.

Hugs!

Glenna

(P.S.  THERE WAS NO KNITTING ON THIS TRIP; LET ME MAKE THAT PERFECTLY CLEAR!)
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: klassylady25 on August 26, 2007, 11:34:53 PM
Welcome home, welcome home, welcome home!!   :loveit:
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: pcraft on August 26, 2007, 11:45:58 PM
Rest well and welcome home Glenna and the whole Biloxi crew... 
Bless you all...
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: sanbie on August 27, 2007, 02:21:05 AM
Welcome home everyone...I look forward to reading snippets from your journal...
2500 photos..wow...you guys were sure kept busy!!

Sanbie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Hannie on August 27, 2007, 04:28:22 AM
Welcome home Glenna!

Hope you'll feel rested this morning, looking forward to your bit s and snippets!

Hannie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Tess (Tassie D) on August 27, 2007, 06:30:54 AM
Welcome back everyone. Can't wait to hear all the stories.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: kiska on August 27, 2007, 06:36:10 AM

You really think we'll hear ALL the stories?   ;D
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: cmpentecost on August 27, 2007, 01:39:03 PM
I am still in New Orleans, as my flight isn't until 5:45 pm.  I wandered the French Quarter for awhile this morning, and then...I got to meet one of the families I restored photos for!  I had all of the restored photos with me for the Melerine family and hand delivered them.  It was wonderful to give the photos back to them in person.  They were SO grateful for what we have done.

I'll post a few of the pics I took when I get home.

Chris
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Mhayes on August 27, 2007, 02:16:11 PM
Chris,

How great that you got to meet the family; even better was the chance to see their reaction to the restored photos! Like the rest of us, I can't wait to see the pictures and hear the stories. It was funny to see that you are still in New Orleans, since I was wondering if you were home recuperating--guess that comes later.

You will be headed back through three time zones--Eastern, Central, and Mountain? Unless you have too many connecting flights, bet it will seem funny to arrive home earlier than all the time you spent in the air.

GREAT JOB  :up:

Margie

Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: glennab on August 27, 2007, 03:35:24 PM
Hi again!

Gosh, I did forget to mention that person from Montana -- what the heck is her name???  It'll come to me, I'm sure.  (Seriously, our photo coordinator, Charlene, is one heck of a woman!  She's smart, compassionate, fun -- she'll be family to me forever! She handled the loss of her luggage and agonized eyes [because her contact solution, etc. was in said luggage] with good humor.  She was kind enough to give me a tour of what she does to get the photos organized, labeled, distributed.  No small job, I'm here to tell you.

I'm sure you'll see photos, but here's a description of the set-up while we were gathering the images (I've always been curious about this).  We were in the large meeting room of a library.  Along one wall were 3 copy stands, where the photos were captured with the digital cameras.  Jan, Lauren, Ed and Angie did the copy work, and I suspect they'll all need massage therapy after bending over the cameras for 3 days, with the photos on the floor or raised on boxes, books, whatever was necessary to get them in the correct position.  They were either kneeling (one of our "customers" saw the position they were in and was wonderful enough to bring in 3 knee pads to ease the pain a bit) or sitting -- hovering over the cameras in the most awkward positions imaginable.

Dave, Mike Morones and Chris were on the other side of the room, uploading the images from the camera cards to their laptops, naming them, positioning them and taking care of the accompanying paperwork.

Angie (when she wasn't on a camera), Val, Mike "the Ogre" and I were at a table in the middle of the room facing the door, and we greeted the people who came in, got their paperwork filled out, looked through the photos to determine which were salvagable and which weren't.  It was heartrending to watch people going through boxes or bags full of photos, choosing their favorite 20, then 10, then 5 photos (the number diminished as we realized we'd have to limit the number or we'd never be able to help everyone who came in).  One gentleman became so overwrought trying to choose that he broke down.  Chris was immediately at his side comforting him -- he was doing his sorting next to her computer station.

We had to pry many photos from frames, or try to finesse the ones we could from album pages with the plastic covering stuck to them.  Some came out easily; some we had to leave in the plastic, because the emulsion and plastic had melded.  The best part of being on the "reception" team was our interaction with the folks who brought in their photos.  The stories were beyond belief, and we were treated to true southern charm and decency from everyone who came in.  And this will forever amaze me -- not one person I helped complained about ANYTHING!

Favorite and most critical supplies were paper towels, hand sanitizer (you wouldn't believe the muck that had become embeded in many photos, albums and frames), water (for cleaning obviously removable debris and for drinking!), a donated pair of needle-nose pliers (to pry the metal fasteners away from frames in order to extricate the glass and photo), "THE TOOL" -- a multi-purpose cutting, prying -- you name it implement, scissors, X-acto blades, pens, glass cleaner and measuring tapes.

Most of the photos were stuck to the glass, so we had to leave the junk that was between the photo and glass and just clean the top as best we could.  (This gives you some idea of the effort involved in just prepping the photos to be captured by the cameras.  It's also why so many photos have been "difficults!")  We didn't accept photos that were without faces or with faces that couldn't be recognized, so this batch should be mostly easy and medium difficulty photos.  There were a few bad ones that we just couldn't turn away, but even though they'll be difficult, none will rival the last batch we've been working on.

We had chairs set up against the wall by the doors for people to wait either for their photos to be returned to them when the capture was complete, or to bring their photos to us.  Many times the chairs were full and we had people standing.  We had only a few "down" times.

It was a siege of 3 tough days, and I don't know about the rest of the team, but I'll go back in a heartbeat and do it again.

What you really need to know is what a brute Dave Ellis is.  He whipped us, verbally abused us -- it was awful -- he even threatened to strangle me with my tape measure.  (If you believe that I'll sell you a piece of prime beach property in Biloxi! -- well the tape measure threat is true.)

Our president is actually as wonderful as I thought he'd be.  He looks about 20 (he can tell you how old he REALLY is), and he has a wonderful sense of humor, despite being pretty serious a good portion of the time.  He managed to keep us all organized and the operation going smoothly despite the fact that most of us had never made a run before.  He ran and got supplies when we were low, made sure we had lunch (that's a whole story in itself) and made sure we all got wherever we needed to go.  He's an amazing guy.  Don't tell Angela, but I love him to pieces!

More later!

Glenna
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Mhayes on August 27, 2007, 06:02:32 PM
Glenna,

Your post is the next best thing to being there! It was very impressive the way you guys worked and the amount of pictures that you were able to download. I was surprised at the amount of work to get the photos ready; I guess I thought they would be ready to be handed over "as is." Did you ever get nervous having to use pliers? It must have been very hard to have someone break down and resist the urge to do all of their photos.

What days were the busiest and what was the normal wait for those who came?

You guys are GREAT!  :loveit:

Margie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: sanbie on August 27, 2007, 06:19:29 PM
Oh I agree..it was like I was there as I was reading that Glenna..my imagination soared!! Thank you so much for sharing that with us...See I would be no good there...because if someone broke down I would take ALL their photos!!

Well done all of you!

Sanbie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Tess (Tassie D) on August 27, 2007, 07:33:11 PM
Same here Sanbie. Great story Glenna. I can just imagine how tense it would be trying to get photos out without damaging them any more than they already are.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Ratz on August 27, 2007, 07:41:53 PM
Welcome home Glenna,
and thankyou for being our official reporter on the scene,you kept us all well informed on the magic as it happened.
You guys must all be exhausted!
Looking forward to fixing some of the latest offerings.
God bless all the Biloxi team :loveit:
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: rockthumper on August 27, 2007, 09:01:57 PM
Thank you for your report Glenna, it gave me an insight into the practical side of gathering the restoration candidates that I did not previously have.
Congratulations on the work you and the rest of the team have done.  :up:
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Ausimax on August 27, 2007, 11:26:06 PM


"Home is the hunter, home from the hill, and Glenna home with her quill" ( apologies to RLS for that bit of plagiarism).

Sounds like a very busy and successful trip, and hopefully everyone enjoyed themselves, I would like to commend Glenna for her informative and humorous reports that helped those of us who weren't there gain some sense of the procedure and the emotion it engenders.

Thanks to all who participated and worked so hard on behalf of us all, we salute you. :wnw:


Max
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: glennab on August 27, 2007, 11:54:11 PM
Hi volunteers!

Thanks so much for the kind words.  Max, I love your quote.

Margie, to answer your question about being nervous about prying out photos, I honestly only got rattled when one of the frame braces went flying and I didn't know where it went or whether anyone was hit by it (fortunately not, though Val gave me a lot of grief about the danger of "flying shards of metal").  Interestingly, I didn't feel nervous about anything we did -- I think we were so focused on doing the best we could for the people who came in that we were pretty much outside ourselves, if that makes sense.

One of the most poignant moments was when a young woman sat down in front of me with a folded newspaper holding several curled up photos.  She set the newspaper down, looked at me, and said "excuse me, I have to leave."  She came back a few minutes later, apologetic that she'd broken down (can you imagine?) and told me that this was the first time she'd looked at the photos in two years.  The wonderful experience of that encounter was that we were able to salvage every one of her photos.

The only discomfort was trying to decide how to react.  Do you go around the table and hug someone?  Will that make it worse?  I usually just held their hand or arm and told them how sorry I was for their loss.  It was definitely an "in the moment" decision as to what to say and do.  I told them it was a gift to us and a joy to be able to give something back to them.

One more incredible story, and I need to head for my bed.  A fifty-ish woman came in with loose sheets from an album -- her wedding photos.  She'd taken everything with her, but somehow had missed the wedding album.  Several days later a neighbor found the book on a bare slab several houses away and could read the faint writing on the album cover.  She recognized the owner's name and returned the treasure to her. We'll be able to restore all of them.

It was so special to see eyes light up when we were able to tell the owners that photos they thought were beyond saving would be easy to fix.

I think what will follow me as long as I live is the positive atmosphere in that room despite the loss and sorrow.  People are truly amazing!

As witness all of you, who will be making good on my promise that they'd get their photos back looking so good that they won't believe it!

Hugs; sweet dreams!

Glenna
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Hannie on August 28, 2007, 03:53:18 AM
Hi Glenna,

I love to read your reports, it feels like I was there myself!
Thank you for all the good work you (and the others!) did and thank you for your reports.  :hug:

Hannie

Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Lorraine on August 28, 2007, 06:38:12 AM
Hi Glenna,

Thanks for posting so much detail as to how the organization works.  It's given me much more insight into the entire procedure.

Lorraine
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: John on August 28, 2007, 08:09:09 AM
Thanks Glenna!  I am disappointed that I couldn't make the trip, but am glad that you've provided your eyes and ears to share the experience.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: glennab on August 28, 2007, 08:55:07 AM
Hi John

I'm sorry you didn't make it too.  Having you there and meeting our web guru and resident creative run amok would have been the icing on the cake. I don't know if you've been on any of the copy runs, but they're incredible almost beyond description.  I'm saving my "mad money" to be able to go on any others that we make.  We still have much to do just in the Delta area.

By the way, I believe you asked about the shark building that you and your beloved had visited before the storm.  We think it was the derelict within view of the hotel.  The colors were right, but the shark was gone, as was the bottom level of the building.  I was amazed that it was still standing. Jan got photos.  I hope we can determine a way to post a compilation of all the photos taken on this trip.  Being in the company of so many photographers was the best.  There's a wealth of visual history of the trip.

I'm not quite ready to get into the devastation still in the area -- it's makes me very emotional; but one little irony is that my bank is Regions, and I was concerned that if I needed extra cash I'd want to be able to find a branch there.  As it turns out, about two miles directly down the beach on the way to the library there was a Regions sign on the ground beside which was a neat pile of cinder blocks in a small rectangle about 2 or 3 feet high. (Sort of like a very short chimney) That was it. Very representative of much of what we witnessed.  And this is after two years!  It boggles the mind.

Glenna

An aside to the volunteers who have posted here.  In a way I feel very selfish in my feelings about this trip.  We went to help people in Biloxi, but I (and I'm sure the rest of the team) feel as if I were given such a gift in the experience of this run. I expected to go back to the hotel depressed and demoralized after seeing and hearing what I did.  But being able to do what we could for these wonderful people was nothing but positive.  We were exhausted every day, but the consensus was that we couldn't wait to get back and start another.  If my journal and ramblings are giving you a picture of what we experienced, that's a gift for me as well.  Your support and good wishes mean more than even the wordmeister in me can properly express.

Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: kiska on August 28, 2007, 09:35:39 AM
I can provide a gallery at pbase to get the Biloxi pics in one place. Just don't know how to gather them for me to upload there. They would need to be smallish, say 6-8" at 72 for the longest dimension.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Dave on August 28, 2007, 11:45:17 AM
I'll write more about the trip soon, but just wanted to point you all in this direction to see some photos that volunteer Val Horvath shot during the Buloxi run: http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=D9&Dato=20070827&Kategori=NEWS&Lopenr=708270802&Ref=PH (http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=D9&Dato=20070827&Kategori=NEWS&Lopenr=708270802&Ref=PH)

Dave
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: cmpentecost on August 28, 2007, 01:44:42 PM
I am finally home after a very long day yesterday.  Just like when I flew down to New Orleans, where my first plane was late, causing me to miss my connecting flight, only to arrive in N.O. much later, WITHOUT my luggage.  My return trip was about the same.  I did make it home last night, at 12:30 a.m (about an hour and a half late), and once again without my luggage.  It was a wonderful but exhausting trip, and with my late arrival last night, I'm functioning in zombie mode right now.   :D

I'll post some photos when I can, but in the meantime, will be working diligently to get some new photos posted to my gallery. 

Christine
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Hannie on August 28, 2007, 01:56:39 PM
Sounds like almost everything that could go wrong did!  Poor Christine!  It is such a drag to miss your connecting flight, especially when you are already tired out and then no luggage on top of it!
Hope you'll have a good rest and that your luggage shows up soon!

Dave, thank you for sharing the photo link, it was fun to look at those.  Looks like a nice bunch of people working very hard!

Hannie 
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: glennab on August 28, 2007, 02:20:56 PM
Hi Chris

I can't believe the airline gods caused you additional grief!  At least you're home, so you aren't without your own possessions as you were in Biloxi.  I'm just glad you're safely back in Bozeman!  Get some rest. You've earned it.

I got an e-mail from my son this morning that was touching and funny at the same time.  I e-mailed all my kids the article from Biloxi that had my name misspelled several times.  Kevin wrote the newspaper a quite irate e-mail to let them know that the name is Boyette, not Voyette.  He signed his name and followed it with "her son!"  Heavens!  When I saw the goof I just figured...call me whatever... no big deal.  My child was incensed!  Who-da guessed!  Love him for being that protective of my "good" name!

By the way, I'm going to be a bit late returning my restoration.  Have been busy, so I'm behind.

One of the joys of the trip was meeting you, my friend.

Many hugs!

Glenna
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: sanbie on August 28, 2007, 06:34:23 PM
The photos are great and puts all Glennas words into proper pictures in my mind!!

Welcome home Christine...sorry to hear that you had such a hard time with your flights and luggage...Rest now as you deserve it!!

Sanbie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: cmpentecost on August 28, 2007, 07:04:38 PM
Our fearless leader eating a beignet at Cafe Dumond. 

Chris

(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n140/cmpentecost/GulfCoastTrip96of119.jpg)
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Tess (Tassie D) on August 28, 2007, 07:11:17 PM
What a time you had Christine. I hope they find your luggage soon. Oh yum, whatever that is it looks nice, good pic of the fearless leader.  ;D
The other pics are great, gives us an idea of what it was like. I noticed many people with whole albums of phtots though. It must have been hard for them to decide which ones to get done and which to leave. It's a pity we couldnt offer a digital email restoration where the people scan and send the photos in and we restore and email them back for them to get printed at their local photo shop.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: cmpentecost on August 28, 2007, 07:15:53 PM
Hi Tassie,

A beignet is pretty much like a fried donut, and it's square in shape, and they put a whole bunch of powdered sugar on top.  This is a New Orleans tradition.  They serve these with chicory coffee.

I got my luggage about an hour ago, so after a good nights sleep tonight, I hope to be back to normal tomorrow.

Chris
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Ratz on August 28, 2007, 07:46:25 PM
Welcome back Chris, and welcome to your luggage also :up:
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Mhayes on August 28, 2007, 08:55:01 PM
Hi Chris,

Welcome back!

After looking at this picture of our fearless leader; I realized that it was actually a challenge to us to restore. This was really tough but I tried to put myself in Dave's place.  :)

(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z10/hayesbucket/frosty.jpg)

Margie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Tess (Tassie D) on August 28, 2007, 09:23:15 PM
(http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v11/tessc/th_rollonfloor.gif) (http://209.85.48.9/867/137/emo/Funypost.gif) Perfect Margie.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Dave on August 28, 2007, 10:22:26 PM
Isn't defacing the president against the OPR guidelines? I know I read that somewhere...
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Dave on August 28, 2007, 10:22:50 PM
...if not, I'll have to write that in.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: cmpentecost on August 28, 2007, 10:29:01 PM
Priceless!!

Christine
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: glennab on August 28, 2007, 10:32:59 PM
Another bit for the Beacon:

First of all, Margie, I love your restoration work on Dave.  One of the things I wanted before I left was a real New Orleans beignet.  Stinkin' work just so interferes with my life!  A face covered with powdered sugar is the very least Mr. Ellis should suffer for having beignets without me!

This evening, I'm going to share some of our more memorable quips and quotes.  I'm not going to tell you who the culprits are, but I think you'll enjoy the funny ones, as well as appreciate the poignant ones.  Some are paraphrased, as many were overheard in the midst of all the chaos of doing the copy work or when I was in a state of total exhaustion.

In no particular order:

"I'm changing my nickname to The Ogre.  Really."

"I hate each and every one of you."

"I can't make the camera work."

"Two animals have to die to make a pizza worth eating."

"I think the maid drank some of my wine."

"This was my son.  He committed suicide."

"I'm fine."

"I'm good."

"I think I'll try one of those pain pills now."

"Come on. Strike that famous pose!"

"My cat can say 'water.'  Really."

"The big yellow house in pieces in the water behind the President was mine."

"The pharmacy is open."

"This was my son.  He died of a massive heart attack at 46.  I only have this one picture of him."

"I believe Christine has the best shots of the bull."

"I'm concerned about the taco crops in the mid-west."

"They probably wouldn't give us a table because I look so scruffy."

"We went to a wedding a while back that didn't last long enough to send out the thank-you notes."

(Upon hearing a child wailing in the library hallway) "That would be Dave!"

I wish I could remember more.  Those were the most interesting ones I could recall.  Enjoy.

Bless!

Glenna


Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Tess (Tassie D) on August 28, 2007, 10:37:23 PM
Quote(Upon hearing a child wailing in the library hallway) "That would be Dave!"

lol it really is pick on Dave day.  :funny:

Quote"My cat can say 'water.'  Really."

Would that be a Glenna quote?  ;D
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: cmpentecost on August 28, 2007, 11:00:47 PM
Wow, you heard so much more than I did Glenna.  But MY QUOTE is for REAL! (beware of the maids who sip your wine out of the mini fridge in your room).

Chris
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: klassylady25 on August 29, 2007, 12:29:51 AM
OH, how I remember those jewels so very well!!  I want one!!! 
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: kiska on August 29, 2007, 05:28:25 AM
QuoteBut MY QUOTE is for REAL! (beware of the maids who sip your wine out of the mini fridge in your room).

hmmmmm. Charlene sure was mighty worried about her vino stash.  :cool:
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: glennab on August 29, 2007, 08:56:05 AM
Hi Guys

Chris, don't be defensive about your stolen wine statement.  If you recall (or maybe you don't, because that was at the end of the run and we were all drop-dead tired!) certain unnamed gentlemen at the dinner table were the ones who ragged on you about exactly where the wine went!

All the quotes are genuine.  As Dave Barry says, "I'm not making this up!"  Chris owned up to the remark about the wine, but I plead the 5th on any of the others.

Here's a shot of your historian taken by Ed Linn (our surgical photographer and staunch copy man - one of the sweetest guys in the world).  I wanted you to see what a foxy young chick I REALLY am.  This was during a rare lull, and I was busily recording the day in my journal.  In the background is Val Horvath from Shreveport, a someday-to-be-famous photojournalist and wonderful team mate.

(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n222/glennab-fla/glennaToPost.jpg)


Glenna
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: klassylady25 on August 29, 2007, 09:18:25 AM
You'll always be beautiful and young Glenna!! Now if we could only get our bodies to agree with our minds. Want you to know that I've thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts!  We are blessed to have such a verbose young woman amidst us.  ;) 

And I wonder if Val has ever heard of Trinity Heights Academy.  I graduated in '73.  Paul Harvey was our commencment speaker.  I also was a classmate to Jim Barnwell, whose family was a big part of Shreveport.  Jim was a great chemistry partner.  WE did not blow up the lab but we could have and thought about it.  lol 
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: kiska on August 29, 2007, 05:30:39 PM
Margie started it.

http://upload.pbase.com/image/84705334 (http://upload.pbase.com/image/84705334)

(http://i.pbase.com/o6/93/579993/1/84705334.SGmNIUrh.DaveBeignet.jpg)
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Dave on August 29, 2007, 05:33:46 PM
I making a mental note to make sure Kiska and Margie attend the next copy-run.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Mhayes on August 29, 2007, 06:31:07 PM
Kisha,

I love what you have done! However, the "Margie started it," sounds like a tattletale trying to deflect guilt. Reminds me of when I was around five and my cousin and I got into Mom's lipstick. I rushed off to tattle on her, unfortunately, I forgot to wipe the lipstick off my own face.

Glenna—nice picture.

Dave, be careful for what you wish for.  :)

Margie 
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: jneil2 on August 29, 2007, 06:37:53 PM
Glenna,

Again, how did you include that photo of yourself in your post?  I have another one of you that is much better, and I think people would love to see it...

Loved the quotes, by the way.  Especially Chris' indignant remark about the maid drinking her wine!!!

Jan
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: sanbie on August 29, 2007, 06:41:35 PM
I knew that was you Glenna..because in one of the photos you are sitting writing in your journal!!

You take an awesome photo..not like me ...I loathe how I always look in photos!!

SAnbie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: cmpentecost on August 29, 2007, 07:12:21 PM
See....I even got a photo of the thief!!!

Chris

(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n140/cmpentecost/Maidwithwine.jpg)
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: cmpentecost on August 29, 2007, 07:47:09 PM
I just saw this article posted on the CNN website, comparing New Orleans and Biloxi.  ~  Christine

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/08/29/katrina.twocities/index.html


Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: schen on August 29, 2007, 08:59:25 PM
I can't resist.   :)

(http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z298/schen_album/DaveBeignetVignette.jpg)
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Tess (Tassie D) on August 29, 2007, 09:22:33 PM
(http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v11/tessc/th_rollonfloor.gif)  Oh no, not the vignette. (http://209.85.48.9/867/137/emo/notme.gif)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/tessc/hehe.gif) Aha, the guilty party Christine, no wonder she's smiling with all that wine to sample.
Great pic of you Glenna and I remember you in some from the other article. Werent you in the film clip too? I can't find the link to that one.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: glennab on August 29, 2007, 10:44:25 PM
Hi.  Your historian here again.  Thanks for the kind words about the photos of me.  What's horrifying is that I've morphed into my grandmother!  Good grief -- I'm still 30 in my mind.

Chen, your "painting" of Dave, including vignette, is priceless!  So appropriate!

Jan, if you can dig up a photo of me that looks good, I'll love you even more than I do already!

I upload my images to Photo Bucket.  It's very easy to sign up; then all you have to do is log in, go to your gallery and browse your computer until you have the file you want and upload it.  The site walks you through it. You'll see the image in your gallery, and below the photo will be several addresses.  If you copy the last one and paste it into your post, the photo should show.  It won't appear until you actually post.  As you're writing, you'll just see the address.

I'm going to give you a few paragraphs from my journal.

As a preface you might be interested to know that as I was going through my notes, I realized I had commented several times that the folks who brought in their photos were as fascinated by the restoration process as you are of our interaction with them.  Many thought we were going to keep their photos and somehow heal them and return them intact.  Many were distraught over small smears and smudges that will take minutes to clone out and had a difficult time believing that we could "fix" the photos that easily.  I can't tell you how many times our comment that the restoration would be "no problem" was met with amazement and delight.

Here are a few more "snippets" from the 24th:

"The room has become  place of reunion – people seeing each other for the first time in several years.  Wonderful to witness."

"It took about an hour to cut and carefully pry apart her photos and decide which to keep, which to restore, and, sadly, which we couldn't help her regain.  She gave us a donation."

"Several people have left in tears. It's emotional for them that many – actually most – of their photos are salvageable.  Their expressions of gratitude are moving beyond words..."

"I brought the Katrina bracelets with me – and most of the volunteers are wearing them.  Glad I thought of that." (I'd purchased them as a donation to the Katrina rescue cause when I bought Marc Broussard's first CD.  I hoped I'd eventually find someone who cared enough to wear one!  You know the rest of the story!)

"We've had to limit people to 20 photos because of the load on the photographers and the number of people bringing in boxes of photos."

"Backs are beginning to feel the strain.  Mine is on fire.  I can't imagine how the copy troops are feeling.  They're bent over a camera on a stand – sitting or kneeling – photos on the floor or boxes."

"We've had donations of cash, checks, food and a pair of needle-nose pliers."

"It's so affecting to see this precious evidence of people's history. There's a delicacy involved in delving into their lives.  Is it appropriate to comment on the beautiful babies, handsome great-grandfathers?"

There's more from our last day, but I'll save that for another time.

Lon tells me that I'm suffering from a mild case of PTSD.  So many things seem petty right now.  I miss terribly the camaraderie of the Biloxi team. I was spot on when I told Lon that the people I work with would be pretty much uncaring other than to ask the obligatory "how was the trip?"  I've cried all the way to work every day this week.  So much intense emotion is still under the surface with little outlet.  Thanks for putting up with my using the forum as one.  It so bothers me that most people are indifferent to the suffering of others.  You're all exceptions, and your response to our going on the run and reaction to our descriptions are as gratifying as having gone to Biloxi in the first place. I've said it before, but I have to say it again.  You all give me hope!

Bless,

Glenna

Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Tess (Tassie D) on August 30, 2007, 01:07:02 AM
Thanks for the next installment on the Biloxi run Glenna. I reckon Lon may be right about the PTSD, it must have been very emotional. If I ever can afford it I'd be on a plane for a chance to go and meet the people we are helping.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Mhayes on August 30, 2007, 01:23:08 AM
After seeing the improvements that Kista and Schen made; I started thinking that perhaps we need an OPR Christmas card?

Chris, I love the maid picture but how are we to know that it was the maid, especially after the: "What happens in Biloxi stays in Biloxi."

Glenna I love hearing what went on during the trip. I often wondered if people thought OPR would take their pictures and work the restoration on the picture itself.


(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z10/hayesbucket/xmas.jpg)
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: cmpentecost on August 30, 2007, 01:31:40 AM
He still needs the OPR tattoo.

Chris
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Tess (Tassie D) on August 30, 2007, 01:54:38 AM
I don't know about a tattoo but I love Christmas cards that light up. >:D

(http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c5/tassie_devil/OPR/christmas.gif)
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Mhayes on August 30, 2007, 02:06:23 AM
Tassie D,

I think you are going to be added to Dave's list.

Margie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: kiska on August 30, 2007, 03:58:49 AM
Margie started it ( yep, I'm deflecting guilt). It's all her fault.

http://www.pbase.com/ob/image/84731960 (http://www.pbase.com/ob/image/84731960)

(http://i.pbase.com/o6/93/579993/1/84731960.w189YmBw.oprmikeill.jpg)

http://www.pbase.com/ob/image/84731959 (http://www.pbase.com/ob/image/84731959)

(http://i.pbase.com/o6/93/579993/1/84731959.UZiZllXq.oprglenogreill.jpg)

http://www.pbase.com/ob/image/84731958 (http://www.pbase.com/ob/image/84731958)

(http://i.pbase.com/o6/93/579993/1/84731958.mtWXV9eb.oprchris.jpg)
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: sanbie on August 30, 2007, 06:08:35 AM
They are excellent!!! Love them...

Sanbie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Hannie on August 30, 2007, 06:57:24 AM
You guys make my day, it is so much fun to read these posts! 

Glenna, your reports are wonderful to read, I'm so sorry that you feel bad.  Just think that the disinterest of your coworkers really is there great loss!
Hope you feel better soon!

:hug:

Hannie

PS: I got Dave a nice tattoo but Photobucket would not cooperate...
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Ausimax on August 30, 2007, 07:05:26 AM

I have to admit I am ashamed at the way you have been lampooning Dave, and schen the use of a vignette was inexcusable. Dave has done so much for OPR, running the organisation and as here trying to get us much needed publicity.





















Sorry Dave, but great incentive to get some photos processed real quick, nothing worse than a heap of Photochoppers with time on their hands, Apologies to Val Horvath for unauthorised mis-use of her photo.

Max
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: kiska on August 30, 2007, 07:08:15 AM
 :funny:

http://upload.pbase.com/image/84738227 (http://upload.pbase.com/image/84738227)

(http://i.pbase.com/o6/93/579993/1/84738227.ZvoWzYS5.DaveBeignetcopy.jpg)
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Tess (Tassie D) on August 30, 2007, 07:11:40 AM
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/tessc/4cdaf704.gif) Oh no, not the pink tutu. (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v11/tessc/th_rollonfloor.gif)

Max you left that space deliberately, I thought you were serious til I scrolled down.  >:D

:funny: Kiska, Dave looks very flowery. It will go perfect with the pink tutu.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Dave on August 30, 2007, 09:58:05 AM
If you weren't all volunteers, I'd fire each and every one of you. :knuppel: (look what  you all made me do ... I used a "smiley")

Dave
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: cmpentecost on August 30, 2007, 10:30:37 AM
Thanks for my morning chuckle!  Max, yours is priceless!

Chris
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: schen on August 30, 2007, 10:36:57 AM
I am bowing to Dave's threat of dismissal, so I will try to get serious here  :funny:  I am glad Dave is not the boss of my day job.  I can't picture her wearing a pink tutu.


Thanks Glenna, I have a better understanding of the process of photo capturing at Biloxi.  What I would like to know now is the process of getting the captured images posted on the gallery at PhotoShelter.  Is there anything I can do to help?

Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Mhayes on August 30, 2007, 12:47:07 PM
Oh Max, you gave me quite a start! I thought we had just been reprimanded and then the picture appeared with the perfect timing of a punch line to a joke!

Margie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: glennab on August 30, 2007, 02:21:04 PM
CHRIS -- PLEASE, PLEASE give these guys something to do.  I'm not sure how much more abuse Dave can take, and I'm laughing so hard I'm about to fall off my chair!

Max, it's going to be a challenge to beat the tutu!  (Oops, maybe I shouldn't have used the word "challenge!")

Dave, by the time these characters finish their "restorations," we won't recognize you.  (I'm sure they're picking on you because they LOVE you!)


Glenna
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: kstruve on August 30, 2007, 02:35:20 PM

I agree Glenna.  Give these guys something to do!  :)

Kurt
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: glennab on August 30, 2007, 03:01:53 PM
By the way, volunteers, I don't want this to get lost in the shuffle.  Dave's (and our) beloved Angela baked cookies and sent them with Dave for us to enjoy during breaks.  They were awesome!  I might even say legendary!

We also were treated to photos of Jack, Dave and Angela's son. He's gorgeous -- and one of the photos was of him behind a camera.  How appropriate is that!

What an extraordinary family.  Dave founded this wonderful organization, Angela handles distribution of the restorations and did a fantastic job of getting us all organized and ready for the Biloxi trip, and Jack is so cute I'd love to get hold of him and smooch him on his precious little nose!  If he's at all like his parents, as I suspect he is, imagine what a superb young man he'll become.

I hope you all appreciate the Ellis family as much as I do!

Glenna
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: kiska on August 30, 2007, 03:17:59 PM
One more............I'll play nice now..............................mebbe.  ::)

http://upload.pbase.com/image/84753677 (http://upload.pbase.com/image/84753677)

(http://i.pbase.com/o6/93/579993/1/84753677.PghcQ7vU.chriswine.jpg)
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Mhayes on August 30, 2007, 04:12:45 PM
Looks like nobody is safe!  :funny:
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Lorraine on August 30, 2007, 05:38:18 PM
You people are so cruel. 

But your work is outstanding.   :wow:  I'm in awe of  the talent here.

Lorraine
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: cmpentecost on August 30, 2007, 06:21:32 PM
I should NEVER have opened my mouth that night that I found wine missing from my fridge!

You are quite creative, and imaginative Kiska!!

Chris
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: cmpentecost on August 30, 2007, 06:22:09 PM
p.s.  I better get those Biloxi photos uploaded soon.  You all have WAY too much time on your hands!

Chris
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Tess (Tassie D) on August 30, 2007, 07:46:23 PM
 ;D Kiska and the caption to that pic could read
Quote'Now which screen am I looking at? (hic)'


I thought I'd do a montage of some screenshots from the tv interview and some from the other photos of everyone.

Click
(http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c5/tassie_devil/OPR/th_OPRmontage.jpg) (http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c5/tassie_devil/OPR/OPRmontage.jpg)

Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: glennab on August 30, 2007, 10:37:50 PM
Hi volunteers

While you're having the time of your lives lampooning the Biloxi crew (and all of it is hilarious, I hate to admit!) I have to take an evening off.  I have a newsletter to prepare for Save Our Strays, and I want to finish it tonight.  I still have more notes – if you're not on information overload – and will post more as soon as I can.

Bless!

Glenna
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Hannie on August 31, 2007, 02:24:55 AM
=^..^=
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: glennab on September 02, 2007, 10:31:24 PM
Hi Volunteers,

I'm going to give you some of my journal entries from our last day at the library, Saturday, August 25th.

"It's our last day. Not sure what to expect. We're anticipating a large turnout.  The consensus is that we'd be happy to stay longer and do more (for the overtime pay, of course).

"The photo historians are already at work.

"Dave brought in cookies that Angela had made for us.  They'll be much appreciate at "break" time.

"He also shared a couple of gorgeous photos of his son, Jack.  One behind a camera -- how appropriate!

"We had breakfast together at the hotel.  Such a cordial group -- people don't come any better than this.

"We're all going to go home with an overload of experiences, emotions, impressions, new friendships.  And who knows what we'll gain today?

"Dave is handing out stipends.  It somehow seems uncomfortable to take money from OPR when what we're doing to help these wonderful people is such a gift to us.  Dave's response to my expressing my feelings was that I should think of it as a way to defray some of our costs for getting and staying there.  I know that there were volunteers who donated toward the trip, which increased our expected stipend and is so appreciated!

"A young woman came in with 12 photos.  She said her house had been bulldozed.  During the storm the water was up to her ceiling, yet the framed portraits on the wall had minimal damage.  She kept crying and told me that she 'has weak tear ducts.'  She had me near tears.

"Stoked up this morning on potato doughnuts, doughnut holes and Angela's famous (addictive) chocolate chip cookies.

"Val was helping a woman remove her large photo from a frame when she spotted a bug (quite tiny) between the sheets of backing.  There was a plethora of strange cries and huge intakes of breath – and pounding on the back of the photo with a paper towel until the 'monster' was subdued and dispatched.

"Things are quieting down. We have a couple of people going through their photo collections to choose 20 for us to restore.  We've had to limit the photos to that number so we're able to accommodate everyone by 5.

"Was prying corner braces from a large frame and one took flight.  Val was inspired to comment on "flying shards of metal."  The "flying shard" nearly hit Lauren, who was working on Camera B.

"We're still having a few people wander in, but only a few.

"5:30 – tables and chairs are mostly back in place, most gear is organized and the last few photos are being shot while their owners wait. Everyone's quite subdued, tired, emotionally wrenched.

"People have brought in food, donations... the profuse 'thank yous' and 'bless yous' and 'are you coming back?' inquiries have made every minute of this trip worth it.

"A child was crying loudly in the hallway by the library door, and Rusty said, 'That would be Dave,' to which Dave exclaimed after the laughter died down, 'I hate each and every one of you!'

"I shall always love my compadres in this adventure.  They are forever part of my heart.

"The 'Last Supper' wasn't quite as planned, but outside the library and the mostly regimented and organized process of the photo collection, the stay has been, to say the least, pleasantly serendipitous.

"The plan once we cleaned and packed in preparation for leaving the library was to drive to Pass Christian and have dinner together at a little seafood place that Rusty had recommended.

"Between Biloxi and Pass Christian was a land of such devastation and shabbiness from storm damage that it became an overload of sorrow realizing what the area had suffered.  FEMA trailers were everywhere, gutted homes both grand and modest, bare slabs, piles of concrete and halved trees or entire ones stripped of foliage and presumed dead.  As it got dark and we drove through small towns, most of the houses were dark – almost ghostly.

"Very little signage remains, hence most of our sojourns were via 'the scenic route,' the 'business route,' the 'where the heck are we?' route or the 'head toward the beach; we'll get there eventually' route.

"When we arrived at Pass Christian, we found the restaurant closed – another gastronomical disaster that had Dave nearly over the edge. 
We split up and headed in different directions to scour up some food, most of us ending up back at the hotel dining room.  Dave, Mike and Rusty work together, so their banter and teasing each other was comical, to say the least.  Dave and Ed had grabbed a bite at "T. Bell" and the discussion degenerated to the taco crops in the midwest and how much damage they'd take from the storms.  It was a wonderfully companionable and laugh-filled 'last supper.'

"After dinner we headed (staggered – exhaustion was setting in) for our rooms.  It was a quick clean-up, don 'jammies', read for 3 minutes and CRASH!"

Okay, enough blathering for one post.  I have another few pages about the 26th, saying goodbye and the trip to New Orleans.  Will fill that in soon, and the saga of the Biloxi trip will then be HISTORY!

All I can add is that if any of you has the chance to go on a copy run, grab it.  It's the experience of a lifetime.

Bless,

Glenna

P.S. Hannie, I love the cat "emoticon."  It's priceless.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: cmpentecost on September 02, 2007, 10:37:39 PM
Very nice Glenna.  Thanks for sharing!

Chris
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Mhayes on September 02, 2007, 11:58:07 PM
Glenna,

I hope you have more stories to tell from your journal as I hate to see them end. For some reason I thought of a quote that I haven't thought of in a long time. I tried to find the author by doing a search on the Web but I came up empty handed. I heard it at a network marketing meeting pitching for new members and it was the only thing that stuck with me. Hope you like it: "You are who you are today by the people you meet and the books you read." (Author Unknown)

Margie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Hannie on September 03, 2007, 05:13:43 AM
Glenna, thank you for the report!  I enjoyed reading it very much, you are a great writer!  Your stories help me polish up on my English, some words I have to look up in the English/Dutch dictionary.  (like:serendipitous, great word!)

Hannie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: sanbie on September 03, 2007, 05:35:14 AM
Glenna thank you so much for keeping the journal so we who had to stay behind could feel as if we were a part of it all...I have enjoyed every moment of reading!!

Sanbie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: glennab on September 03, 2007, 01:07:32 PM
Hi Volunteers

Thanks so much for your positive response to my ramblings.

Margie, I love the quote and I totally agree.  I'm not only grateful for and feel enriched by spending quality time with the Biloxi team, but also by the rest of OPR who have been so supportive and interested in our adventure.  I feel as if I know all of you, too, and you're part of my heart!  (Needless to say, sometimes that heart feels about to burst between my feelings for my OPR pals and the wonderful people we met in Biloxi).

Hannie, I'm glad to be helping you with your English, although if you hadn't told us English isn't your first language, I'd not have known.  You manage quite welI.

I drive my co-workers crazy with my verbiage, because half the time I have to explain what I mean to them.  I love the language, and discovering and using new and interesting words is one of my passions.  Actually, I was meant to be a journalist, and my path somehow curved and took me into graphic design instead.  I still get to be the resident expert on usage and spelling wherever I work (I've been called "the walking dictionary," and have even had the gall to challenge not only our company president but also an English usage expert on the web a while back).  Whatever makes life interesting!

You'd be totally stumped by my husband, because he loves to slaughter the language just to see if anyone catches it.  He'll tell people that since he's getting older he's gotten rather "sedimentary," when the word is actually sedentary.  Amazing how many people doen't get it.  Fun with words!

Anyway, once I get my newsletter completed (today, hopefully), I'll post the Sunday entries to the journal.  And if anything comes back to me in the meantime that's of interest, I'll write it in the journal and post it as well.  The good thing about the journal is not only being able to share what happened with you, but since I'm getting older I tend to forget things.  I want to have a remembrance of Biloxi to go back to.  I've gotten to where I can read a book, and re-read it in a year and it's as if I'm reading it for the first time.  Scary!  But I don't have to buy as many books!  (I try to see the positive side of this being old syndrome!)

Hugs to all of you,

Glenna
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Ratz on September 03, 2007, 06:32:15 PM
Thanks Glenna,your journal is very entertaining for those of us who couldn't be there.
You don't do a bad job for an old girl :loveit:
This is actually the first time I have wanted to live in the US so I could go along.I felt so left out!
Can't wait to get into some of these photos and put smiles back on the faces of people who have lost so much.
Looking forward to the next installment.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: glennab on September 03, 2007, 07:57:21 PM
Hi Vicki

Part of the reason for my keeping the journal was to allow you to be part of the run, even if vicariously.  I know you were there in spirit.  And your doing the restorations will definitely make people in Biloxi happy.  They were thrilled that so many people cared enough to be part of OPR.  When I'd tell them that the copy run group was from all over the States and that the people who'd be making their photos whole again could be anywhere in the world, they were so excited.  Heck, I got excited telling them about OPR!  This is an extraordinary organization.

News at 11 -- or 12 -- or whenever I get my act together!  Lon and I've spent the last two days putting together a platform for our "sleep number" bed, and then trying to put the mattresses together and get them hooked up, in between my battling with software incompatibilities causing major headaches with the SOS newsletter. I have a MAC and In-Design and my partner-in-print has a PC, only uses Word and isn't very computer savvy.  Trying to find a format we can both use has been a three-day off-and-on frustration!  I love a challenge, but I'm a bit tired for this one.  I'll get my bi-platform cohorts at work to give me some hints as to how to conquer this dilemma.

Cheers!

Glenna
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: cmpentecost on September 03, 2007, 11:13:01 PM
Hey Glenna,

Have you hooked up your Wacom tablet yet???????  (I made her try mine out one the Biloxi trip, and she loved it).

Chris
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: sanbie on September 04, 2007, 01:07:52 AM
I have borrowed a friends tablet to try...but as yet it only confuses me!!

Sanbie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: kiska on September 04, 2007, 11:44:02 AM
Biloxi Babes,

http://upload.pbase.com/image/85029792 (http://upload.pbase.com/image/85029792)

(http://i.pbase.com/o6/93/579993/1/85029792.kTzqqKhQ.biloxibabes.jpg)
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: glennab on September 04, 2007, 02:59:28 PM
Okay, kiska

I want to know where you got that obviously phony photo of the hard-working women of the OPR Biloxi team.  Bad enough that you guys are covering our president's face in sugar and tattoos, but this is way over the line!  Terrible abuse of restoration expertise.  And Photoshopping an elderly woman in amongst that scary bunch?  Shameful! Disrespectful!

It would appear that what happens in Biloxi leaks out of Biloxi, despite efforts to the contrary!   Who's the culprit?  Charlene????  And where is the rest of the contrived evidence?  This is appalling!

Glenna

P.S. Chris -- I haven't gotten the tablet out yet.  I did go so far as to open the documentation and then got distracted.  I need to get that and my scanner out and set up.  Can anyone lend me some time and energy?  And a place that's not covered with cat crud?  I ran my new robot vacuum through the house yesterday, and he was actually spitting out hairballs.  Not a good environment for electronics, to say the least.  But I cant bear to restrict my pride from the office.  They're such great company when I'm working on the computer.

I'm going to try to use the Wacom to finish my current on-hold restoration.  I can't imagine how much easier it would be to create hair with the tablet, among other things.  I do appreciate your giving me some time to play with your Wacom on the copy run, because it IS amazing.  I can see why you'd not want to go back to a mouse once you're accustomed to using a tablet and stylus.  Your encouragement will get me to work on it more quickly than I would otherwise.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: kiska on September 04, 2007, 03:32:10 PM
QuoteI want to know where you got that obviously phony photo of the hard-working women of the OPR Biloxi team.

I dunno.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: glennab on September 04, 2007, 10:27:17 PM
Hi kiska

Touché and UNCLE!  You're a riot!

Glenna
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: kiska on September 05, 2007, 01:24:55 PM
Just trying to keep you guys entertained during the lull.

Photos by Christine. Combined 2 pics then painted.

http://upload.pbase.com/image/85092658 (http://upload.pbase.com/image/85092658)

(http://i.pbase.com/o6/93/579993/1/85092658.5sgFUjNl.manhouse8x10.jpg)
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: cmpentecost on September 05, 2007, 01:42:57 PM
I love the photo painting Kiska!  Thanks for sharing this!

Christine
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: glennab on September 05, 2007, 02:13:01 PM
Chris & kiska

Nice work on both your parts.  I love the rendering, so the photo must have been awesome as well.  That's worth framing.

Glenna
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Mhayes on September 05, 2007, 02:23:20 PM
Kista,

That is really beautiful!

Margie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Tess (Tassie D) on September 06, 2007, 07:14:53 AM
That is a beautiful painting :up:
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: kiska on September 06, 2007, 07:23:35 AM
Thanks guys! I enjoyed doing it. My 'supplier' does good on the photos.  ^-^
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: sanbie on September 06, 2007, 09:17:25 AM
Wow that looks great!!

Sanbie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Hannie on September 06, 2007, 09:19:52 AM
Very beautifull picture, well done!

Hannie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: klassylady25 on September 06, 2007, 11:19:36 AM
He reminds me of Uncle Remus!  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Remus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Remus) 

I loved the stories and read them to my babies. 

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG97/remus/tar-baby.html (http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG97/remus/tar-baby.html)
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: kiska on September 06, 2007, 12:26:19 PM
I love Uncle Remus. In fact Br'er Rabbit comes to visit me every now and then. Also it was a Walt Disney movie, Song of the South.
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: glennab on September 07, 2007, 11:03:40 AM
Good morning volunteers

Since I'm home waiting for someone to come and repair the air conditioner, I thought I'd give you the last of my entries in the journal of the Biloxi trip.

August 26:

"Jan and I checked out of the hotel and joined Chris, Angie and Val for breakfast."

(This isn't in the journal, but I wanted to note that Jan Neil is the best roomie one could ask for.  A lovely lady, to say the least!)

"Dave had to ship all the equipment home, so he, Chris, Rusty and Mike took off for the local Office Depot.

"The rest of us met them there, and our farewells, hugs, tears, photo ops, shifting of luggage and passengers for the New Orleans trip were conducted in the Office Depot parking lot.  A woman who was parked near the vans jumped into her car and took off with an offended look back at us -- apparently concerned about all the suspicious activity in a nearly empty parking lot on Sunday morning.

"It hurt to say goodbye to the team.  I told them they're forever my family.

"Dave told me I was much quieter than he'd expected -- based on my constant forum posts.  (Dave, how do you think I get all this material for my blathering?  Gotta listen to what's going on around me!  Besides, someone has to be the "straight guy" when surrounded by comedians.)

"Val paid me a compliment that will stay between us, but it was one of the dearest things anyone's said to me, especially such a self-contained, self-confident young woman.  Val, it meant more to me than you'll ever know.

"While Val drove home and the rest of the team left together for the birthday gala, Lauren and I also headed for New Orleans to drop off one of the vans and get to the airport.

"Along I-10 we stopped at was was called a 'rest stop.'  I've certainly never seen anything comparable in Florida.  It looked like a lovely southern brick home surrounded by well-tended flowers and trees.  Inside were two cheerful, cordial elderly ladies (good grief, there ARE actually people older than I am!).  The rest stop was more like a Welcome Center, with free coffee, maps, brochures and a guest book.  So wonderfully genteel and southern.

"As befitted the wrap-up of the trip, we got off at the wrong exit (my bad!), got lost in New Orleans (signage is minimal) and had to stop twice for directions. I guess you could call it the 'OMG, we're lost in New Orleans; are we going to make it to the airport?' route.

"Lauren dropped me off at the airport, since our "scenic" route had put me too close to my departure time to drop off the van with her.

"I still find going through security eerie and intimidating after all the years of flying without those safeguards.  I found my gate, wrote in my journal, people-watched, boarded my plane and was back in Tampa in no time.

"Great to be home, but nothing seems real.  I've never actually been part of a group of people on a "mission," where there had to be coordination, cooperation and hard, if rewarding work.  I highly recommend it.

"Most of my volunteer efforts have been solitary, and the years of trying to rescue cats got me mostly grief (rather, notoriety, a ton of negative press, a house full of cats, and a mangled finger -- I'd do it again, but that's often the price one pays in trying to be a decent human being. To quote my beloved, who often also pays for my attempts, "No good deed goes unpunished!"  Sometimes I wonder... but as he also says 'One does what one has to does!').

"OPR in general gave me my first feeling of camaraderie for a common cause, and the trip cemented my bond to the Biloxi team and all of the OPR volunteers.

"I'm glad I am an oldster with these memories, because I feel I have the wisdom to appreciate even more who we are and the value of our gift to the Katrina survivors and anyone else who suffers the loss of their history due to disaster.  (I'm glad I kept the journal so when my memory fails me [probably tomorrow], I can go back and read and re-experience our adventure."

One last comment, and I'll end this tome and get back to my restoration.

I don't want to embarrass Dave (oh, hell, why not -- he did, after all suggest strangling me with my tape measure!), but he is extraordinary to have made good on his impulse to use his skills (and eventually ours) to help the people who faced Katrina.  Now that I know the work involved in a copy run, I can't imagine the first trip: a small group of people: Dave, Becky, Mike and some of their work associates, learning as they went; and, I gather, doing most of the retsoration work on the spot   (If I have this history wrong, forgive.  But I think I'm close.)

Dave, Angela, Becky, Mike, John and Chris are the foundation of what I think is to be a long-standing, ever-growing world-wide family that is going to make a profound difference in the lives of more people than we can imagine.

All you'd have to do is see the delight on the face of ONE person who was told that their precious photos could be fixed to understand what a wonderful endeavor we have.  We may not be first-responders, but wherever we fit in the overall scheme, we are making a positive difference.  Now that I've seen that effect first-hand, I'm in OPR for the rest of my life.

In my book (journal?), admin, the people who make the copy runs, and all of you who work so diligently to give people back part of their lives are  blessed to have the talent and the determination to make a positive impact on the world.

I truly love all of you,

Bless

Glenna
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: sanbie on September 07, 2007, 06:24:01 PM
I must admit when reading your final input I was saddened when I came to the end...I have truely loved reading all the news and updates as to what went on in Biloxi and I am going to miss not coming in to find the next installment!!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share all your thoughts and writings with us all Glenna..

Sanbie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Hannie on September 07, 2007, 06:40:39 PM
Glenna, I'm not going to read your final journal entry yet, instead I'm saving it for tomorrow (s.t. to look forward to!)
A big thank you in advance!  :)

Hannie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Tess (Tassie D) on September 07, 2007, 08:18:17 PM
That was wonderful Glenna but sad for it to be the last one. It's amazing what compassion, determination and a great idea can do to ease the suffering of disaster victims. :up:
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: OPRAng on September 08, 2007, 03:15:47 AM
The very first trip "we" were barely OPR. It was Dave and Becky on a project. They packed up computers, borrowed copystands (not the ones that made it on this recent trip), printers and paper, and sleeping bags and drove to Pass Christian. They didn't really know where they would stay, if anyone would be interested in the restorations, or whether or not the idea would work. Originally they weren't even planning to mail the photos back to the families--they thought they would do the restorations on site and hand them back at the end of the week. Needless to say within the first day, the realized that this was much larger than they had dreamed.

If you go to our homepage (www.OperationPhotoRescue.com)--there might be an easier way to get there from here, but I'm not sure...Anyway, if you go to the homepage, you can click on the blog that Dave wrote. During that first trip Dave wrote about an entry every day with updates on how it was all going.

They worked out of the Pass Christian library, and slept on the floor at night--I believe Dave said he slept in the reference section, but I could be wrong...Now we have restored countless photos for countless families, we are a permanent charity, and we have over 1200 volunteers like you all around the world pulling together for one common purpose--to preserve a cherised memory.

Insurance doesn't replace memories, but we do.

Check out those first blog entries and you can see how we have grown.

Thanks everyone!!!

Angela
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Mhayes on September 08, 2007, 06:59:16 PM
Angela,

To see how far OPR has come since Dave and Becky did their first copy run is inspiring! How wonderful it is too that you are involved and care as deeply about the organization.

Margie
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: GP on September 09, 2007, 06:06:14 PM
Hi Glenna,
thank you so much for your reports! Sorry, I'm coming into this thread so late in the game, I had problems with my internet connection and could not post. But now it seems to be repaired ( knock on wood  :up: )
It seems like a great adventure and lasting memories to be part of collecting the pictures and meeting some of the people we are actually working for.

Gerlinde  :loveit:
Title: Re: The Biloxi Beacon
Post by: Hannie on September 11, 2007, 06:16:56 PM
Thank you Glenna...  :loveit:

Hannie