I knew all those hours reading Nancy Drew would pay off. Oh yes, Flora here, did a little sleuthing of her own today to help the victims of Katrina.
So, I suppose, like more than a few of you - I found it a bit frustrating to get through to the American RedCross online to make a donation - I couldn't connect to the servers because (I thought) of the volume of hits. And calling them too - 1-800- HELP NOW connected me to only busy signals.
But persistance paid off today, and I finally got through online and via phone. Why both Flora? Well, folks, let me tell you.
Why? Because I was UNABLE to donate via their online site. Yahoo donated a merchant account to the RedCross, to be able to handle the flood of donation, the Redcross, in turn designed and published a webpage to take donations, or so they thought...
what they designed was a virtual store, not a donation site. So when you go to send a donation - it asks for shipping and billing information. WHAT!?
So I call the 800 number a few times (busy again today) but I am a patient Queen and called called again, until I finally got through. I spoke with a nice girl in Atlanta and made my donation (which, by the way, took infinitely longer than it would doing it online). And then I told her about the problem with the website. She was pleasant, but didn't know who to go to get it fixed. She didn't seem to really understand the problem though either.
So back I go to the website and search for contact numbers for Redcross - I decide to call the Almighty Yahoo Geeks because they host and help me with my site too www.believablebalderdash.com (<----you just knew I'd get that in there somewhere, eh?)
- who verified the problem with the RedCross site - unfortunately - it was out of their hands because Yahoo only donated the account and does not create or manage the site itself.
So back I go to get the National RedCross headquarters phone number in Washington, DC - cause dammit, I'm a woman on a mission now...
only to get, rather, not get connected to a filled voice mailbox. Shoot. Okay, this now calls for a fresh pot of coffee...
.....brewing.....
So - then the lightbulb goes off - (Amazing what wonders a good cuppastarbucksjoe can do..)
and I locate my local chapter of the RedCross - in Philly - and talked to a nice young gentleman named Gaylord (don't you just love that name?) that runs the Philly RedCross website. -
Gaylord was genuinely alarmed (because he is a geek and immediately understood the problem) and was very thankful that I persisted and brought it to his attention - and would try to get the info to the proper people at the RedCross website Headquarters - people which he didn't exactly know who they were was just yet...
but at least the ball is rolling now...
Here's the thing: Gaylord and I both realize that this nation as a collective whole has the attention span of a teenage hummingbird on speed. People try once, twice, three times, to give away their hard-earned money - and then after that - well, they go out and buy a pair of new shoes.
"We'll I tried...." (Oh, come now - don't act surprised. I'm guilty of it, too.)
You all know that in a week or two - we're all going to come down with a case of Hurricane Katrina Burnout - and become concerned with our own daily grind, and all the worries that come with that - as well as all the new worldwide crises that seem to change as quickly as the local diner's soup du jour.
People are horrified and want to help in big ways now, not later. They dig deeper into their pockets today - not tommorrow.
Which btw, can someone tell me why the rest of the globe is not rushing to our aid in this crisis - which, in my opinion is some ways worse - because we are dealing with misplaced and homeless LIVING people? Don't get me wrong - but I feel the problems are infinitely more complicated with this disaster in the long run.
- but that is a whole other rant I'll save for another rainy day.
Anyway- (see I can write long long posts...when I feel moved to) - back to the task at hand today:
So the ball is rolling - my sleuthing paid off and I hope they fix it soon. Until then, they're losing millions. Gaylord - assured me he will do what he can. I also alerted CNN, MSNBC and the Associated Press. (Oh yes, I did.)
So to recap and for those of you who are lousy speedreaders:
Skip the .org site, skip the busy 800 number -
Right now, you can easily donate through your local chapters of the RedCross - Here is a link to find your local chapter: http://www.redcross.org/where/chapts.asp
and be sure to SPECIFY your donations to go to the Hurricane Relief fund. Gaylord told me they cannot co-mingle the funds. Once that Hurricane fund is exhausted - that's it.
Righto - I'm probably at the 20k limit now - so I did what I could today - what are you going to do?
10 comments:
International Red Cross and Red Crescent have offered assistance to the American Red Cross. France has offered bottled water and food stuffs, but the logistics of locating a harbor to accomodate these supplies have that offer on hold for the moment.
Besides -- we don't need foreign assistance. What we need are leaders with a clue. Sadly, it appears the past 6 years have resulted in a systematic eradication of organizational effectiveness at FEMA. Cronyism at its finest? The doctrine of laissez faire management from the neo-con driven Bush administration? Who knows? Frankly, it is probably all the fault of the former Homeland Security Secretary consolidating his power. All I know is the organization is a chicken whose head and balls have been removed at the worst possible moment.
Sorry, I didn't expect to rant here. Got carried away. Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.
Good on you for your kindness and your perseverance. It is fitting that our Queen would hyper-extend herself in the pursuit of instant gratification (what with being all about bangles and beads and things). I always knew you'd be able to get into more positions than imagined in the Kama Sutra...
Alas, SWMBO and I have been battling the comingling of health emergencies with deep anxiety over family members in harms way on the north shore of Lakes Ponchartrain and Maurepas. Both have been partially resolved as of today, allowing for partial relaxation and a reduction in the anxiety level. So let me take a minute and try to offer an answer to your question.
Other countries HAVE offered aid and succor to the affected region and the USA. Starting with our friends above and below our border who have offered S&R teams, military assistance and, in Mexico's case, an offer to increase exports of finished, refined hydrocarbon materiel (gas and diesel fuel, primarily) to the Gulf Coast communities. Bush's handlers, the Saudi's, have offered an increase of crude (but here's the rub, we haven't got refinery capacity to really use it).
Turkey, Greece, Spain and Italy have all offered professional S&R teams for assisting the effort of going door to door searching rubble. President Chavez of Venezuela has taken personal delight in offering petroleum, military S&R assistance and volumes of criticism of the apparent lack of preparedness of local, state and Federal officials for dealing with this catastrophe. Some of that is simply rubbing our faces in the shit after the Pat Robertson assasinationcomments fiasco -- but then again, he's earned the right, methinks.
CONTINUED
no need to apologize ya old dog - In fact, I should be thanking you - and am - for you just saved me a rant.
i was thinking more on money, not oil from foreign countries - france can keep their lousy perrier water -
and I am sick to death of being held hostage by the oil companies in this country and around the world - this nation and the rest of the world need to get serious about developing clean, renewable resources...but I'll save that rant for another rainy day too - unless you want to do the honors....hey...
the gauntlet is hereby thrown at your feet my gallant bearded knight...
thank you for the tome of comments, varied and juicy - just like the kama sutra - (how did you know!)
"Nancy Drew" and "geek" can't be used in the same sentence.
We have offered room to a child, teen, or young mother, I hope someone calls us.
Damn! I KNEW I shoulda read Nancy Drew! I spent my entire youth reading the Hardy Boys series, and where the hell did it get me???? Jon
Gee, A, I just put my donation in the second collection today. However, I did wonder if it would make it to Louisiana, unpilfered.
Terrific work, Flora....Gaylord; hmmmm...
Is his last name Ravenell? Are you on a Showboat?
Been sick for 2 weeks; just catchin` up!
V
good for you Dear Flora.............. judi
Oh good grief!
~ www.jerseygirljournal.com
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