Wayland to Waveland

Presented by Sam Kolovson
Wayland to Waveland
During the holiday season, we had been busy hoping for what we wanted. None of us were thinking about what we already have. We didn’t stop to think how privileged we are to have a house, food to eat, and the other many things we take for granted.
In our sister city of Waveland, Mississippi they were all busy hoping for what they need. Their own house, money, a job, and those countless other things that we forget to be thankful for.
It’s been more than two years since Hurricane Katrina hit that area. To us it feels like this whole “hurricane thing” is over, but it’s not. Two years and 150 people are still living in FEMA trailers. Two years and the town is still not back together. Two years and people still don’t have their lives back together.
Try to imagine it. Everything around this whole area of the country is destroyed, your house, everything you own, your life. And now two years later you are still living in a FEMA trailer. It’s like a metal box maybe about the size of your old bedroom.
The people living in Waveland still have hope though. A hope sparked from right here in our town of Wayland, from a group called Wayland to Waveland Hurricane Katrina Relief. This small committee of 7 people, including some of our parents, is doing their small part to help Waveland rebuild their devastated town and give them hope.
Two years ago right around this time now I was part of the first effort to help the citizens of Waveland. My dad and I went to the Public Safety Building, and looked through dozens of papers to pick out a family from Waveland that we wanted to “adopt.” Each paper had, their personal story of what happened to them during the storm, and what they needed for the holidays. We eventually picked one with a girl about my age so I could write to her. A few weeks later we sent the family toys, books, things they had asked for, and even my old computer.
Since then Wayland to Waveland has done many more project to help Waveland. A few members of the committee rebuilt their city’s ballpark and made a little memorial garden. In 2006 the group completed a project where they rebuilt homes for three families. The group is just now completing the most recent project- Mission to Mississippi- to build eight brand new houses. Eight houses might not seem much but it’s going to make a big difference to those families. In fact it is already helping everyone in Waveland have hope that their town is going to be repaired.
Hope.
Wayland to Waveland is giving these people hope. A hope, that will go on for many years. These projects are just the start. It won’t end until their needs are fulfilled, and they will no longer need to wish for and cherish the life that the storm destroyed. We hope that maybe one day Waveland will be rebuilt. We hope that maybe one day the lives of the people will be repaired. We hope that maybe one day they can, like us, think about the things they want and not only the things they need. But for now it is hard to see the city of Waveland that was once a beautiful and charming seaside community.

Filed under: Wayland, MA