Thought I would attach a picture of me with my baby at her 8th grade graduation and is now officially a "freshman" in high school and doing well. 

Hi, well I thought you might want to know that even though after I graduated from Wheeling High School and actually didn't move on to getting a degree in anything of importance, the one thing that I have received which to me is better than anything other type of recognition in the world is being a part of the Hurricane relief team from the American Red Cross. Just this past September I went down to Houston Texas to be a Red Cross volunteer and work the Astrodome, were there were thousands upon thousands of evacuee's from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. My Role there was working in Medical Triage, and helping the people that had gotten sick or were sick get better.

I spent a week down there doing what I was trained to do and now with this new Hurricane that is about to hit Florida I once again have been called upon to go to Orlando to help out in one of the many shelters for disaster relief. I am to be leaving this Sunday Morning at 8:25 a.m. from the Indianapolis Airport on ATA to fly non-stop to Orlando. I have been a Red Cross Volunteer for the past 10 years and a C.P.R. and First Aid, and A.E.D Instructor for the same amount of time. I have taken classes in many course's for Hurricane relief and am going to be taking classes for Ham Radio Operator's, and also Storm Spotters. But I do want you to know that all the degree's and Diploma's in this world could not make up for all the pleasure that one gets from helping out people that have either lost all their worldly belongings or even their own homes. Now with Hurricane Wilma I am not sure how much damage this Hurricane is going to do on Florida, but I will be there to do my part once again in helping out those people that have evacuated from their homes to stay in shelters in Orlando or other cities in Florida. I do not know if I am going to be stationed in Orlando or not I will not know that until I get there. I do have some real nice pictures that I took from the Astrodome in Houston Texas when I was there, and hope to take more pictures of what ever Hurricane Wilma does to the half of Florida that it is supposed to hit.

So I guess what I am telling you is that even though I did not get a degree in anything in college what I do for the Red Cross is more than any degree could ever teach anyone or the knowledge that anyone could ever experience in their lifetime. All that you or anyone else had seen on the TV about Hurricane Katrina was not at all what it was really like in Louisiana or Mississippi, or even Alabama. It was unreal to see all the damage and destruction and even death. But the biggest lesson that I learned is how precious life is when there is nothing left for one to go back to but ruins. I talked to many people that had lost their homes in Louisiana and had no intention of going back there ever.

It filled my heart with more love and understanding than I have ever felt in my life. To look into the eye's of the children that had NO idea as to were there parents or family were, or to see parents that had no idea as to were their children were gave me the respect that life has for us that not many of us actually truly realize in our everyday life. Now to go down to Florida to help out once again is so rewarding to me, that like I said no degree or diploma could ever be as rewarding as it is to be were there is so much love that is needed and so much help as well.

I will be taking as many pictures as I can after I am in Florida and all the destruction or damage that Hurricane Wilma does which we all are hoping that it doesn't do what Hurricane Katrina did, but from what I have heard on the weather channel this Hurricane even though it might only be a category 2 or 3 when it does hit Florida could be as damaging or more than Katrina was. I hope nothing like that happens there but I know in my heart that I will be there to comfort as many people as I can do put into effect all the training that I have received from the American Red Cross and to do my best to keep as many people calm before the storm and after as well.

Well that is my important role in my world and just something I wanted to share with you. Hope all is well with you and your family, and I will write to you when I return from Florida.

Take care and be safe, Your friend, Dave