A bright blip on a dark map of daily headlines
The political debate has already gotten nauseatingly old to me. That is how I've been feeling today -- kind of sick to my stomach and just over hearing the bloody details for awhile.Bottom line: all three levels of government failed with the hurricane disaster and something must be done about it. I know this terrible event will be debated for years to come. I am sure I will rant again about it, but I have moments where I have had enough bad news coming at me from all angles. I work in journalism so I have no choice to deal with it head on, but us news junkies sometimes overdo it and I'm feeling kind of sick with it today like I tied one all week with it and now I'm in hangover mode and don't want to see or smell the stuff for fear of puking.
Admist the 24 news hour chatter around blame and enough Monday morning quarterbacking to last us the next century, the thousands of citizens helping the evacuees continue to shine and make me very proud of my community and our country, despite what didn't go right last week.
Yesterday marked a milestone for Birmingham in its big sister role with the evacuees as our first Hurricane Katrina baby was born. The Birmingham News reports that Karly Marie LaFountaine was born at Montclair Baptist Medical Center to Michelle and Kyle LaFountaine.
The LaFountaine family, which includes two older sisters, left Pass Christian, Miss. in the wake of the hurricane and lost everything when their house was destroyed.
Yesterday at the hospital a group baby shower was held for seven mothers whose homes were destroyed in the storm and were befriended by the staff and volunteers at the hospital.
According to the staff-written story by Victoria Coman:
"The shower (idea) spread through e-mail, word of mouth and calls. A group of nurses started calling businesses and were able to get donations from Parisian and Babies R Us and other businesses, and from individuals such as hospital volunteers who wanted to help. By Friday, Montclair Baptist Medical Center officials had collected more than $1,400 in cash and gift cards, seven strollers, three umbrella strollers, 12 playpens, seven car seats and more than 200diapers for the shower, said Leisha Harris, the hospital’s marketing director. "
Kyle LaFontaine said the gesture gave his family the help it needed. "I can’t believe they went that far to make us feel at home," he said.Karly's photo with her big sisters holding her ran on the front of the Local News section that I designed last night for Saturday's paper. She is healthy, pink and already a little celebrity as the local televsion media has covered the story. I hope when Karly grows up she knows that she gave people in this city a reason to smile today and that her birth is symbol of survival, hope and caring that also must be observed during a time of deep sadness and loss for our country.
Comments