About Wayland to Waveland
Caring Mission
Despite being Ground Zero for Hurricane Katrina’s landfall, Waveland, Mississippi will recover and rebuild, and residents of Wayland, Massachusetts will help this small and beautiful community in its efforts. Our commitment and affirmation to Waveland reinforces that they will not be forgotten and we will support them for the long haul.
Established in 2005, Wayland to Waveland (W2W) is a public/private partnership aimed at providing short- and long-term support to the residents of Waveland, Mississippi who sustained major losses from Hurricane Katrina. This support will be in the form of developing personal relationships, assisting in the rebuilding effort, and leveraging the many skills and resources that Wayland residents can offer our sister community.
The city’s infrastructures along with 60% of its homes were destroyed. The rebuilding phase is only just beginning. For a perspective, read this April (2006) letter from Kathy Pinn, City of Waveland employee.
Waveland's 7,000 residents have begun to trickle back to rebuild lives that are forever changed due to Hurricane Katrina. Waveland needs our help. This long-term effort to help our fellow citizens, our neighbors, will be slow, more like a marathon than a race.
The individual stories are equally astounding and encouraging. Some residents were lucky... but are only now (after 9 months) moving back into their homes. Others are less lucky ... and need help desperately, like the 83-year-old woman living in a trailer next to her small house that likely never will be repaired. In May of 2006, it's still waiting to be assessed -- bulldoze or fix. Meanwhile, in 80-degree heat, mold festers.
It's considered progress that plastic trash and clothing and other items no longer hang from the trees. Yet many properties still are piled with debris or are barren save for the slabs of concrete and driveway pavement.
Waveland's Mayor Tommy Longo visited Wayland on October 25, 2005 to meet with the Steering Committee and express his deep and heartfelt appreciation to Wayland for its response to Waveland’s enormous needs. Our town’s reputation for meeting challenges to help those in need is stellar. Helping this one small city is our way of reaching out to our neighbors in Waveland.
Waveland’s Appreciation:
One Waveland resident wrote a Wayland family recently:
“Words cannot describe how I felt when I received your envelope. It was absolutely, the best gift we could have received. The best part of the “gifts” was the love, caring and motivation behind it. My heart is full. God is good. Life goes on. You made us smile.”
“I went to the church you mentioned and got a pillow, set of sheets and a cover that actually covered my feet when I slept! Thanks a bunch!”
Mel, Nezz & Beau
