Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Volunteers play a critical role in helping people affected by Hurricane Ike get back on their feet.
Today one Utahn who's been in the Gulf Coast states for weeks returned home. Jana Sweeny, a Red Cross disaster officer, started out in Baton Rouge helping those hurt by Hurricane Gustav. Then she moved to New Orleans before ending her trip in her hometown of Houston.
A week after Hurricane Ike hit the Gulf Coast, resident of Jamaica Beach, Texas, were finally able to visit their homes.
Barbie O'Brien's home was damaged. "I cried," she said. "I just started crying. I was so happy to be home."
Jana Sweeny said, "They've been tough. It's really been a difficult situation in the Gulf states."
Sweeny spent three weeks in Louisiana and Texas.
"My goal is to make sure people know where to find food, where to find shelter," she said. She says the demand for those things isn't over.
So far, the call for volunteers has been met with an excellent response. "I just moved here six months ago and so many people came from Utah to help. So much support came from Utah. I was proud to say I was from Salt Lake any time anyone asked," she said.
Help is still needed, especially long-term for the rebuilding of cities. Millions of people still are without power as families slowly take stock of what's left and what's lost forever.
Homeowner Lisa Wood said, "All the things that we love are gone. Everything is gone. To rebuild it is just going to be really difficult, really devastating."
To learn how to help the Red Cross with its effort, visit the link on this page.
E-mail: sdallof@ksl.com
