<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Message</TITLE> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2722" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>I spoke with Gary and Dot Neie, also spoke with Nolan today.  = They both have their customary "we'll be fine" way going on.</DIV> <DIV>Here is a letter from Gary that tells how it is for them.</DIV> <DIV>Ruth</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=neie@bellsouth.net href="mailto:neie@bellsouth.net">Gary A = Neie</A> </DIV> <DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=webb50@comcast.net href="mailto:webb50@comcast.net">Ruth/Webb Phillips</A> </DIV> <DIV><B>Sent:</B> Friday, September 02, 2005 11:41 AM</DIV> <DIV><B>Subject:</B> Katrina</DIV></DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr = align=left><FONT face=Tahoma size=2></FONT></DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2></FONT></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr = align=left><FONT face=Tahoma size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=233521611-02092005>Hello All,</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN = class=233521611-02092005></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=233521611-02092005>Dot and I are = fine from the storm. We didn't get any damage we were on the west side of the storm.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN = class=233521611-02092005></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=+0><SPAN = class=233521611-02092005>It is causing hardship for all (including us</SPAN></FONT>)<SPAN = class=233521611-02092005>. the gas prices and gouging is out of reach.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN = class=233521611-02092005></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=233521611-02092005>Our church is = housing 100 refugees from New Orleans, Dot and I are getting up each morning at 4:00 = a.m. to go fix them breakfast and feed them. Others of our church are cooking = the other two meals of the day.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN = class=233521611-02092005></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=233521611-02092005>We have had = them since Monday the 29th of August and will probably have them, at least, another = week.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN = class=233521611-02092005></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=233521611-02092005>Some of these = have lost everything. The situation on New Orleans is desperate. It is like a = bathtub as it is below sea level. The 17th street levy broke  in 4 places and = let the water in from Lake Potchatrain, so at present the city is 80 percent = flooded and the water level is equal to the Lake. Everyone had plenty of notice to = leave the city but many chose to stay and now they are in desperate need. About = 4000 were sent to our Super Dome for shelter and then the storm hit it took the = roof off the Super Dome, The electricity failed and the sewage failed since the = water is higher than the sewage, it is impossible to flush the toilets.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN = class=233521611-02092005></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=233521611-02092005>Our Parish = closed schools today Friday, Sept 2nd and sent all of our school busses to New Orleans = to help with the evacuation.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN = class=233521611-02092005></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=233521611-02092005>There are a lot = of Red Cross shelters in our City that are packed with refugees. We don't have = a clue as to where the people will go from here that have no homes to go back to.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN = class=233521611-02092005></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=233521611-02092005>Mississippi = gulf coast is wiped out completely, many, many lives lost and more will be discovered = as the are able to get to them. </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN = class=233521611-02092005></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=233521611-02092005>The important = thing right now is in trying to rescue as many as possible.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN = class=233521611-02092005></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=233521611-02092005>Your prayers = are welcomed and what money you might be able to send. Send it to the American Red = Cross and designate it to "Katrina".</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN = class=233521611-02092005></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=233521611-02092005>Hope this info = will be a help to all.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN = class=233521611-02092005></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=233521611-02092005>You got Ron's = message from Nolan. We talked to him before the storm trying to get them to leave and = come here, also the PTG Home Office crew tried to get them to leave, We = talked to him afterwards and they didn't suffer damage other than the city is without = power and it is getting harder to get gasoline for their vehicles and = Electrical Generator. They have to travel great distances to get = it.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN = class=233521611-02092005></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=233521611-02092005>Love to all,</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN = class=233521611-02092005></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=233521611-02092005>Gary A. Neie, RPT</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=233521611-02092005>Pineville, = Louisiana (we are in the middle of the state.)</SPAN></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>