Rotary Club delivers books to New Orleans
By Andrew Clarkson President, Columbia Rotary Club

Andrew Clarkson, president of the Columbia Rotary Club, with Hugh Craft, president of the St. Bernard's Parish Rotary Club, in New Orleans.

This past April, my wife Caroline and I took a trip to New Orleans to meet the truck delivering our Rotary Club's book donation. We also visited a club we've been working with this year - The St. Bernard's Parish Rotary Club.

In August 2004, when multiple area levies breached, an 11- knot current of sea water and silt rushed through the homes and neighborhoods of St. Bernard's Parish, Louisiana. One of the jumbo tanks of crude oil at the local Murphy Oil refinery slipped its footing, ruptured, and mixed an unimaginable amount of unrefined petroleum into the already filthy gumbo. The horrible mix of standing water cured over the next several weeks before finally draining back in the Mississippi. When dried, a toxic residue had settled into the top soil of yards, parish parks, and school play grounds.

Our club's Concern for Literacy committee decided to collect and distribute children's books to an elementary school library in St. Bernard's parish. Committee Chair Debbie Yoho, executive director of Turning Pages, collected thousands of books being culled from a school library. After inspection, these books were packed and donated by club member and past president Kirk Johnston and Smith Dray/United Van lines and Storage.

The books went to Contract Interiors, a local office furniture dealer, where club members Mike Hartley and Boyce Haigler graciously agreed to stack and shrink wrap the boxes on shipping pallets then store the palletized books in their warehouse until sending them to New Orleans. Bill Cassels, club past president, sent a truck from his company, Southeastern Freightlines, to pick up all 5,500 volumes and carry them directly to Andrew Jackson Elementary.

Caroline and I left by car for New Orleans April 25, 2007. The following day, we went to the St. Bernard's Parish School District Office where we met Hugh Craft, chairman of the Parish School Board and current president of the St. Bernard's Parish Rotary Club.

St. Bernard's Parish is the county east of and adjacent to Orleans Parish and the city of New Orleans. It's primarily a residential area comprised of modest homes and strip centers.

After the Rotary meeting, Hugh took us to Andrew Jackson Elementary School. On the way over, we drove through a number of neighborhoods, some in better shape than others. As of April, about 20% of the homes were occupied. The remaining homes were equal parts gutted, under repair, untouched or torn down. Most still carry the all very familiar "X" spray painted on the front of each abandoned house.

Andrew Jackson Elementary, with its 2,300 students, is one of two schools currently operating, out of the district's original 15.

We found several dozen FEMA trailers filling one of the large front parking lots, which was faculty and staff living quarters for those who were not able to get back in their homes yet. Principal Leighanne Haralton gave us to a comprehensive tour of this former high school turned elementary school campus. The classrooms were filled to capacity.

Our club's donation arrived earlier than expected and were already in the library on shelves. Every last packing box, the type known as "bankers' boxes," were all scarfed up by the teachers for use in their classrooms as well.

I was touched by each and everyone's complete openness and warmth. Everyone we encountered on our journey seemed to approach us with genuine thanks.

I am happy to say New Orleans is up and running, and open for business. St. Bernard's Parish is still a very different story.