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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Advertisement Email Story to a Friend September 9, 2005 Katrina victims would be welcomed Rogue Valley residents have pledged more than money — some offer space in homes By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune There may be few takers — if any — but that hasn’t stopped Southern Oregon residents from opening their homes to victims of Hurricane Katrina. By Thursday, more than 50 people had offered 177 beds in residences from Selma to Ashland through an online housing registry sponsored by MoveOn.org Civic Action. "Well, I had given blood at the Red Cross and I had given a cash donation and it just broke my heart, still, watching it on TV," said Sarah Damm, 36, of Medford. "I come from a service-oriented family and I just felt that I could do more." Damm, her husband and their four daughters agreed to share their four-bedroom Medford home for as long as necessary. Advertisement "We would probably just utilize two bedrooms and let another family use two bedrooms," she said. "It would be a sacrifice, but I think it’s a good sacrifice." It’s a sacrifice that may or may not be needed, however. Even state shelters offered by Gov. Ted Kulongoski have received conflicting reports of evacuee arrivals. On Thursday, Federal Emergency Management Agency officials designated Oregon as a "receiving state" and asked the governor to prepare for the possible arrival of about 500 hurricane victims by Saturday. Whether any of those people actually come to Oregon, much less the Rogue Valley, remains to be seen. A few evacuees have arrived in the Medford area, including an elderly woman from Mississippi, said Tony Hernandez, emergency services representative for the local chapter of the American Red Cross. She and others don’t want to talk about their experience publicly, he said, although they have sought some help from Red Cross officials. "We are in the process of tending to their needs," he said. If those evacuees and others want more help later, there’s plenty available. Postings on the MoveOn.org Civic Action site — www.hurricanehousing.org — revealed dozens of local families willing to offer transportation, shelter, even help finding jobs. "I know it’s a long way from home, but I want to offer this in case you are looking for a new start," reads one Medford posting. Moveon.org Civic Action, formerly known as Move.on.org, launched the Web site to find shelter for evacuees in homes across the country. By Thursday, nearly 226,000 beds were offered on the site. Although the greatest need is for empty beds within driving distance, or about 300 miles, of the disaster, residents from as far as Alaska — which posted 46 offers — welcomed displaced Gulf Coast residents. In Oregon, 744 individuals or families posted promises of help. Offering a fresh start for people whose lives have been obliterated was the goal for Dusty Smith, 56, a Medford Senior High School graduate now living in New Jersey. She owns a home she hopes to retire to in Medford, but it’s empty now. "If anybody needs help, it’s not rented," Smith said by phone. "It’s got three bedrooms and two full baths. A lot of people could stay there. If somebody’s been thinking about leaving, maybe they would want to return to the Pacific Northwest." So far, there have been no reports of refugees taking local folks up on their housing offers. "No, I haven’t gotten any response yet," said Kimberly Archie, 36, of Medford. "If we do, it will be from people who get moved to shelters from this part of the country." The urge to help has spilled into Salvation Army offices, where several callers also have volunteered shelter, said Carrie Hanson, the Medford agency’s development director. "They are very, very eager," she said. "We are so far away, but people want to help." Even if Damm doesn’t get a call for shelter, she hopes someone in Oregon will get the chance to help. "I just want a family to have a safe place to go," she said. "If I was in that situation, I would hope someone would do it for me." Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail Katrina victims would be welcomed ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers Southern Oregon Loans California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy Advertisement s