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Hurricane Katrina

Storm victims get time to ponder options

The Catholic diocese starts a program to help Katrina evacuees make a smoother transition to staying in the bay area.

By WAVENEY ANN MOORE
Published October 26, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - Stay or go? Displaced by hurricanes, hundreds of families new to the Tampa Bay area will make that life-changing decision in the months ahead. Do they put down roots here or go back to where home once was?

To help them either way, the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg launched a two-year effort Tuesday to give about 300 evacuee families from hurricanes Katrina and Rita some stability.

Operation Home Away From Home is pretty simple. It's about "keeping them safe, keeping them grounded where there's normalcy, where they can put their children in school, where they can get their feet back on the ground until they decide" where to settle, said Sheila Lopez, chief operating officer of Catholic Charities in the St. Petersburg Diocese, which spans Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties and has 400,000 members.

Catholic Charities is helping the families with interim housing, furniture, utilities, employment and food. The agency is providing the help with assistance from the Pinellas and Hillsborough county governments, the Housing and Urban Development Department, Catholics around the diocese and members of other denominations.

In the past 14 months, members of the diocese have given about $3-million in all to victims of Hurricane Charley, the South Asia tsunami, the famine in Niger, and hurricanes Katrina and Rita. They might be asked to help victims of Wilma, too.

"There is no evidence of what some people call donors' fatigue," Bishop Robert N. Lynch said in announcing the program.

"Wilma has affected my own family. My brother lost the roof of his house in Hollywood and is out right now looking for blue tarp and will be one of those blue tarp families for probably a long time."

Several families were present Tuesday during the announcement. Here are their stories.

THE WARDS FROM LOUISIANA: "We traveled many miles to get here, but in our hearts, in our minds, Tampa is home now," said Jim Ward. "If not for a little bit, forever."

Ward, 48, his wife, Janet, 42, and their four children, 17 to 22 years old, lived in Louisiana's St. Bernard Parish. Tuesday afternoon Janet Ward shuffled through a stack of photographs of the family's ruined home. She managed to save the Christmas decorations that had belonged to her late mother. For now, the family lives in Tampa, where they are renting a house at a discount. The landlord also gave Jim Ward's niece and her husband a car.

The Ward's youngest child, Donovan, is a senior at Plant High School.

The oldest children are working. Jim Ward, who was a regional educator and stylist with Fantastic Sam's, has a job with a Fantastic Sam's in Tampa. His wife is working for Catholic Charities, helping to resettle other evacuees.

The Wards will remain in Tampa for at least a year. "That's my commitment," said Jim Ward.

EDISON HOCKADAY OF NEW ORLEANS: He drew applause when he announced that it was is 71st birthday. "For 30 years, I worked for my property, and I lost it all," he told those gathered for Tuesday's news conference. "Thanks to Catholic Charities, I'm back on my feet and I will continue to go from there."

The former insulation installer from New Orleans lives in New Port Richey with his wife. He takes comfort that his son, daughter-in-law and grandson live in the same apartment complex, as does his son's stepson. Barbara Fox of Clearwater, a member of an ecumenical women's group, helped the family find housing.

THE COLBYS OF BILOXI: Fatima Colby, 46, had tears in her eyes as she spoke about her involuntary separation from her husband, Joel. He has gone back to Biloxi to try to salvage their combination grocery, delicatessen and service station so he could sell the property and move permanently to St. Petersburg. The couple's children are Russell, 15, who attends St. Petersburg Catholic High School, and Jessica, 13, who is at St. Jude's Catholic School.

"That makes me very happy. They are doing great," Colby said.

THOMASZENIA ZELA ZURRO OF NEW ORLEANS: The 54-year-old evacuated to Tampa, where her daughter lives. In Louisiana, she was a licensed practical nurse and was engaged to be married. She hopes to get a job soon.

"I'm still in a daze. I'm still devastated," she said. "I know I'll settle here. I'm not going anywhere."

JANE PLACE OF ST. BERNARD PARISH: She evacuated ahead of Katrina, arriving in the area a day before the storm devastated her Louisiana home in St. Bernard Parish. She had to think ahead, said Place, 51, because she was evacuating with her 15-year-old autistic son and a handicapped brother. One of her daughters lives in Palm Harbor. She is living in Dunedin, where owner Brenda Hanson offered the family a rent-free condominium until March.

THE SEYMOURS OF NEW ORLEANS: They evacuated to Clearwater. Herbert Seymour, 41, was a driver for a carrier service. His wife, Michelle, 38, was a teacher's assistant. The family wants to settle in the Tampa Bay area. Michelle Seymour's daughters are adjusting to their new schools.

[Last modified October 26, 2005, 00:44:15]