Live from Pearlington - 12

It’s a beautiful day in Pearlington. The sun is shining and Canada Jon has his Exit Strategy well in hand.

I will leave after Thanksgiving this Thursday - Friday morning at noon. The decisions I have recently come to regarding the Distribution Centre have been fully supported by all and we have begun to restrict the hours of operation a little. The initial needs of the local folks have been met, for the most part, and it is time to move into the rebuilding phase of this recovery operation. Paula Buhr, the first person helicoptered into Pearlington shortly after the storm, is returning this week to supervise my leaving and to tend to an orderly shutdown of the Pearl Mart by Dec. 31.

There are still many projects running and lots to do to get these people back to some semblance of where they were, but my job is done and I’m proud of all my team has accomplished. Now comes the difficult task of saying goodbye - at least for now. Word is spreading and lots of co-volunteers and residents are stepping up to share their feelings with me. It is a blessed thing to do what one loves and to also be so rewarded for it. When the fire guys and the police pulled out, they all signed a basketball for me with many kind words. These are the fellows for which I sang the song “Hero” at the last Karaoke Night. The Americorps kids also signed it and I will miss their Team Leader Jackie a lot, as well as her whole crew. She reminds me a lot of my own daughter Lindsay.

I have lots to clean up and a solid paper trail to leave, to ensure a responsible transition and to honour the work of all who came before. Everyone in tents should be off the ground before I leave and I will also miss the dedicated FEMA men and women who came here and finally made it happen, despite their own system. Some of them even moved a telephone pole by hand to get a trailer in! A remarkable feat has been accomplished here, by people who were never charged with the job in the first place; people who just came to get the job done. People who will receive very little credit and never care, because doing what you say you’ll do is all that counts with them.

Stacey Pace and Sherri Buchanon also came to visit - people who were here before and made their own difference. The word is out that Canada Jon treasures Diet Pepsi; he’s diabetic and tired of plain water. 12-packs are flowing in from all over the country - more than I can drink. I’m so spoiled! Jambalaya and Gumbo show up almost daily and I share with my team. I get hugs and smiles, as I skip across the parking lot to keep spirits high. That wild Canadian! Old “Oop” Rogers is parked out front of the store, in his favourite chair, reminiscing about singing with Fats Domino a way back. Oop and I did a duet of “It’s a Wonderful World” at Karaoke Night. All is well and the shorter hours give us time to plan and catch our collective breath.

I’m happy with what I’ve done and ready to be reunited with the other half of my heart. I know she’s waiting for me at home, arms wide open and a Diet Pepsi clutched firmly in each hand.