Vicki Wilkins and the Blanket Brigade

Story posted May 10, 2006

Some notes from Alan:

I commented to Vicki about this DVD effort >> "Calidoll that is a wonderful idea. But I fear there will be some sobbing on the tape. Be strong!!!

To which she replied >> " I know...but it is what I have to do for me. I have to find a way to "let go" for I find that I am allowing this all to consume my life. I cry about it all the time, I can't think of anything else....every day there are times I just stop and think "what about....." "I wonder if that is still there" " I wonder if he/she made it out ok" It is to the point that it is affecting everything about me. I have to find a way to make the Blanket Brigade self sufficient so I can step back a bit. I need to step back and "manage" things happening and stop trying to make each and every little thing happen."

Vicki turned her desperation into trying to find a way to help out the situation. Her story is spread all over the Sun Herald Katrina Forum, in countless posts of inspiration, sorrow and tears, and laughter. The Blanket Brigade became one of the marching themes for this long road to recovery. She, as many of us, will stay the course to bring Mississippi back from the disaster imposed by Katrina. We are grateful to Vicki and have her story pulled together to share with all of you. Thank you Vicki!!!!

Quote: "I feel I am only doing my part at taking care of the community where I grew up. I grew up in BSL and that is the way we did things....we took care of each other. Sometimes I have to step back and SEE what I am accomplishing so that I realize that I am making a difference. We have gotten over 100 blankets in to Hancock County. There are about 200 sitting in Houston, TX waiting for arrangements to get them transported to Hancock County."

Vicki Wilkins - Below is MY story, it explains how the blanket brigade became to be.

August 27, 2005

• Mom evacuates to Baton Rouge with her friend Sue
• I call Terri & Michael and beg them to leave, but they will not
• I get a call from cousin Melissa (Waveland resident), she will evacuate with her husband's family and she is taking her father
• I get an email from cousin Huey (Bay St. Louis resident) that he and his wife, along with his step children and their families will evacuate "somewhere west"
• I start to pray for my family
• I watch the news

August 28, 2005

• I talk to Mom, I know she is worried about Terri & Michael
• I pray that all the family will all be safe
• I watch the news

August 29, 2005

• I go to work, keeping track of Katrina on the internet
• I pray for the family
• I watch the news
• I go to bed praying that God will place his hands over Mom's house and protect my sister and her family

August 30, 2005

• I start the frantic phone calling trying to reach someone, anyone who can tell me anything
• I get a call from Melissa, they are all safe but hear bad things of Hancock county
• I get word from Huey that he is ok
• I get a call from Mom, they have made it ok but electricity and phones are flaky she will call when she goes out and can use the cell.
• Nothing from anyone inside Hancock county
• The news says that there is NOTHING south of the railroad tracks in Hancock County...Mom's house *is* South of the railroad tracks
• I pray more and cry myself to sleep

August 31, 2005

• I get a call from Melissa; she is going back to Hancock County and will check on the family.
• I start searching the net for ANY word on ANY survivor database
• Mom informs me she will be leaving Baton Rouge to head to NC to stay with me until she can return home.
• Late night I get a call from my uncle and aunt in CA, my sister, her husband and her daughter are alive.
• I cry and pray

September 1, 2005

• The phone rang, I answered and I am awaken to the most beautiful voice I have ever heard MY SISTER!
• She is upset, she asks about Mom and I tell her Mom is OK and on the way to NC
• She tells me who is ok (lists some family and friends she has seen) tells me how Mom's house is
• I ask for their needs and she give me a basic list (MEDICAL SUPPLIES, WATER, FOOD)
• We cry a lot and tell each other we love each other.
• She is on a man's phone, she doesn't know him but he just wanted to help her. She said she will try to call tomorrow
• Mom calls around lunch time and she finally gets to know that her oldest daughter and family are all OK.
• We cry
• I search the survivor database and find Michael's sister was looking for him, I call her to tell her that her brother is OK
• I call some numbers that Terri gave me, to tell family that their people are OK
• Mom arrives in NC

September 2, 2005

• Mom and I wait...no call from my sister.
• More internet searches
• We contact Mom's friend Gail, and ask her to take some supplies in to Terri and she will

• We have been trying to call Terri, Michael & Kayla's phones (Kayla is Terri's daughter) with no luck
• My phone rings and all I hear is "MAMMA I GOT THEM, MAMMA I GOT AUNT VICKI!!"
• Mom and I run outside (better cell signal) and talk on speaker phone to Terri, Michael & Kayla.
• Michael gives me his brother's information and asks me to call his brother
• We all cry, say we love each other
• Terri gives me more survivor names
• I call Michael's brother to tell him that Michael is OK, he said he will do what he can to help. I send him the growing supply list

September 4, 2005

• I get a call from Michael's sister in law; her uncle is going to Hancock County and offered to take in supplies.
• I confirm the supply list and OK them to give out my phone number
• I confirm address and directions

September 5, 2005

• I found the Sun Herald board and joined - seeking knowledge, comfort and support

Dates start to mix now - Oct 3

• Mom's friend takes in supplies
• The lady Mom stayed with in Baton Rouge takes in supplies
• Michael's sister-in-law's uncle shows with an SUV *FULL* of supplies
• I talk to Terri on a regular basis via cell or text messages to keep up with things
• I read every story I can
• I watch every online video I can find
• I look at every picture
• The roads are opening up and they are letting people return home, Mom wants to go home
• We decide that I will take Mom down at the beginning of October so we start thinking about supplies
• I collect loads of blankets to be taken to the fire department for the Mayor and "his boys" since I read how they are sleeping on concrete
• We collect, soaps, shampoo, tooth brushes, tooth paste, combs, brushes, underwear, socks, blankets, small books and toys, basic medical supplies, razors, etc and fill my 4x8x4 trailer (4 foot wide, 8 foot long, 4 foot high)
• Oct 3 we head out EARLY in the morning so that we can get into Bay St. Louis before curfew that night and we do

During the next 4 days we did a few things

• I took my sister and hubby to their "home" to recover any and all items we possibly could and probably got more than we expected
• I took my sister and hubby to their "store" along with volunteer Luther. We recover anything and everything we can again, more than expected
• we drive around so I can see more than I care to see more than anyone should see
• We go to cousin Huey's "home" to find that his lot is scattered with the remains of the homes that were to the south of him
• We find Huey's roof 2 lots up and 1 block west of where it was prior to the hurricane

• It started out that I felt the need to help my family, and I did
• The need to help reached out to the surrounding neighborhood, so I did
• The need was seen to be with in the city, so I kept going
• The need was then the entire county, so I asked people for more
• The need is now the MS Gulf Coast, and again, I continue to ask people for more.

May 24, 2006 I will again leave NC to head to MS, but this time for a longer say. I plan on heading back on June 3, 2006. That will give me 9 days to do all I can do to help my family, friends and surrounding area. Others will be there too, as this is now a planned event. I hope to take many pictures and many videos that we will share with our children and grandchildren later in life so they will understand what it is to give of yourself just to make a difference.