More than two and a half years after Hurricane Katrina swept ashore obliterating much of the Mississippi and Louisiana Gulf Coast, two families are closer to being back in their homes thanks in part to a team of Episcopalians from Northern Alabama.

An eight member team of volunteers from St. Thomas Episcopal Church and the Church of the Nativity in Huntsville spent a week on the Mississippi Gulf Coast last month helping rebuild two homes and providing other support to ongoing hurricane recovery efforts based at Camp Coast Care in Long Beach, Miss.

The recovery team from Huntsville hung sheetrock, tiled, insulated walls, hung windows and doors, installed baseboards and painted trim in the two homes.  Team members also helped prepare meals, deliver materials to worksites, and support case workers at the camp.

The north Alabama volunteers worked along side volunteers from Florida, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New York, Virginia, New Hampshire, and New Mexico, some 90 in all.

Camp Coast Care is operated by Lutheran Episcopal Services in Mississippi a non-profit corporation that manages and conducts programs in children's education, restorative justice and disaster response.  Camp Coast Care, which began operation within days after the hurricane, is primarily funded by Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD).

The North Alabama team led by St. Thomas parishioner and Coordinated Huntsville Parishes Hurricane Relief Committee Chairperson Sally Barnett, included Dan Lester and Jimmy Preston of the Church of the Nativity, and Kristie Boyer, Al and Elouisa Stokes, Burt Williams and Woodie Zeigler of St. Thomas Church.

The team hopes to return to the Gulf Coast in the fall.

Volunteers continue to be needed to support the ongoing recovery operation.  Parishes and individuals interested in supporting the Mississippi recovery ministry are encouraged to visit the Camp Coast Care website at http://www.campcoastcare.com/index.htm

Dioala.org welcomes news and feature stories about the ministries of parishes and individuals in the Diocese of Alabama.   If you have a story idea, feel free to e-mail the Rev. Deacon Dave Drachlis at dave@stthomas-hsv.org.