Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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Samantha Hayes Reporting As the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches, cameras are again turned on the Gulf region, recording damage that looks like it just happened. For many volunteers, their experience helping people in that area is still very fresh. One local man shares his experience working with the Red Cross in Louisiana.
At this time one year ago we knew it was coming, but we did not know how bad it would be when Hurricane Katrina hit. The recovery was an international effort, one that is still going on, but it's those first few days Mo Ghandehari remembers best.
His experience volunteering near Slidell, Louisiana has stayed with him throughout this last year.
Mo: "Initially when it happened they had no electricity or running water."
The shelter was a local elementary school and Ghandehari was in charge for two weeks. He saw the damage firsthand -- communities leveled by wind and drowned by flood waters -- but the most indelible image is not the damage.
Mo Ghandehari, Red Cross Volunteer: "After one or two days we were just like a family, we were really close."
His family for that short time was a network of Red Cross volunteers from all over the country, young and old.
Mo: "We also had two elderly ladies and one, I believe, over 80, just wonderful. I used to call them distinguished residents of the shelter."
Many of the people Ghandehari helped in those two weeks are still without homes.
Mo Ghandehari: "When I hear on TV some of them are still struggling, that's discomforting."
As the one year anniversary approaches, Ghandahari finds some peace in knowing, for even if just a short while, he was able to help.
Mo Ghandehari: "The volunteer work. You never want a disaster to happen, but I was happy I had a small part in that I was able to help."
