A Focus on My Region

I wanted to start off by saying thank you to all of you who attended or donated to my parents 2nd Annual New Orleans Relief Cocktail Party. Again this party was very successful and we were able to raise over $1700. Proper thank yous will follow, I just wanted to let people know that their donations did not go unnoticed. The money hasn't been spent yet (although we came VERY close to acquiring a new nail gun yesterday), but when we find some things that fit our budget we certainly will be buying things. As said in the video (Check it out here if you have not seen it yet) we will be looking for a stove, washer/dryer, and mattresses. All of these will come in handy big time as we get more and more volunteers this fall. It looks as if our house will be at or over full occupancy the entire month of October. So yes, I will be posting photos of what we end up getting once we have them.

I also wanted to let people know of a great new documentary. Last night a volunteer staying with me, Will (Norwich, VT), and I went to see "Trouble the Water" at the Canal Place Theatre in the French Quarter. This movie just won the 2008 Sundance Award for best Documentary. The film, made with mostly home video footage, follows a couple that lives only a few blocks from my house as they stayed in their home during Katrina because they didn't have the money to leave. It was a very interesting film, particularly because of where I viewed it. Throughout the movie there were people verbally agreeing and cheering the points made in the movie. Also the movie featured a scene filmed in the mall that the theater we were at was in. I highly recommend seeing this movie since it will be playing all over the country (In Hartford Dec. 5-7). When you do see it please pay particular attention to the high school and navy base since I drive by those both daily.

Also, just wanted to say that I went to Uncle Mike's church today for mass and while there he introduced me to Mayor C. Ray Nagin and his wife.

And as we head into the postseason I want to say GO SOXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!