Operation Vanessa: A shopping expedition

We returned home from BSL just in time to meet Renee here at the house and pack some blankets and sheets into her car for the families that she has been working to assist over the last several weeks. Many thanks to Renee for all she has been doing for her community -- a bigger heart would be quite hard to find. (Hugs, Renee.)

It was another dismal and wet day today -- and Mom & I almost once again postponed our OV shopping trip.. but then decided it was actually the perfect day to go get it done. Mary Gray of MinnesotaHelpers.org had provided us with funds for the express purpose of shopping locally for some of the needed items families were requesting. We were given permission to combine those funds with a couple of local donations we had received and instructed to try to make the money go as far as we could.

Mom suggested the local Fred's discount store -- and it turned out to be just the place. The general manager was wonderfully helpful and we spent a lot of time at the checkout chatting with the cashier and the store manager about their own flooded homes, life in FEMA trailers, and the controversy over rebuilding the Ocean Springs bridge. The lady with two kids in-tow in line behind us chimed in as well. Before we left with our purchases we gave each of them one of our Operation Vanessa flyers. They promised to spread the word.

I was admittedly too pooped to sort through the goodies when we got home... and besides - I still had a week's worth of laundry to catch up on...

But Monday morning I'll have a pot of coffee on early so Mom and I can start going through our needs lists and putting more boxes together for coast families. (I know Mom's itching to get out there and actually deliver the stuff too -- so keep your fingers crossed for fair weather next week...)

Yes, the Christmas decoration is still up there....

Thanks once again to MinnesotaHelpers.org for letting us help you help us all. :)