Editorial Letter Finding Ways To Assist

I wrote this letter to my paper and it was published. Please use it with my permission to send to your paper...

To Whom It May Concern,

The Hurricane Season is long over, but its effects are still massive and far reaching. In order for the Gulf Region and its multitude of industries to recover, we as a nation must assist.Individuals must seek out ways to help, either at home or by going to the region and volunteering directly.

Our schools need to help the affected school districts that have been damaged or have taken in the thousands of displaced children.

Our emergency services organizations and hospitals must look outside the box in order to help the affected towns and fellow agencies.

All local volunteer and non-profit organizations should look to their national affiliates for guidance, but should also be flexible enough to find avenues to assist in all ways possible.

Our local, county, state and federal governments need to find ways to assist - even if only by sending surplus items to 'sister' governments. This includes 'adopting' a locale of similar demographics. What if it were our town, county or state that had been devestated? We too would hope for the assistance.

This recovery will take at least 10 years without a national effort.

Let's do what we can to halve that number.

Sincerely,