Sunday, August 22, 2010
www.youtube.com/danielwstoner
Please check out the youtube site for video blog updates. Be well, Daniel
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
wednesday 8/11/2010
It’s our 2nd full day at BP SOS (Boat People SOS) in Bayou La Batre, AL.
David from BP SOS gave a tour of the boatyards, shipyard and marshlands. I’ve posted some of the images on Facebook but I have a several great videos that I shoot that still need to be posted.
The community here is so resilient. I remember what the area looked like after Katrina. It was very different then. The disaster was obvious because of the massive destruction caused by the surge line and winds. Now, the landscape looks beautiful and the houses are intact. However, this time the impact is financial, emotional and biological.
The boat docks are full of picturesque shrimp boats and the summer skies are bright blue. Unfortunately, it’s the height of the shrimping seasons and the boat should be at sea for weeks at a time. These, mostly individually own, shrimp boats can hold thousands of pounds of “ Best in the world” seafood and the duration of each excursion lasts between 25 and 40 days.
The boats are double parked in some of the slips due to the lack of available spots. “ We have never had this many boats in this harbor for this long of time” one of the fisherman said. It’s been over a hundred days since the oil began to link.
I’ll tell you, I’ve heard everything from BP Gas is killing us, our government is killing us, we need to be able to fish and/or we need more off shore drilling. This was a town built around fishing that has become a town built more and more around oil production. Oysters and shrimp are in high demand and a way of life, oil has become the liquid gold. Shipyards that once built shrimp boat now build for the oil industry. The craftsmen with their torches weld the huge hulls of the Push boat in the same docks where the fathers before them crafted fishing vessels. The economy is 90 percent boat oriented in some way.
I chatted with some ladies sitting outside of a fish processing building today. One lady, Peg, told me about her families struggles to keep going. Katrina was five years ago and it’s taken almost five years for this industry to recover. Peg told me about the past three months without work. Her in-laws are in the fishing business, she and her husband are in the business and they have 3 children. The process of filing for assistance, with BP’s involvement, has made a horrible situation even worse.
I am not in politics and I leave it to the ones how should know better than I.
I can’t understand what is going on with our government. During Katrina I couldn’t wait to throw a pile of blame at W. Bush. His administration’s response was a disaster and a complete lack of orientation and humanity.
This administration’s response, however, does not seem much better. Baden’s speech here a few weeks ago is been replayed a lot. In it he stated that things were not so bad as he stood on a resort lagoon pristine beach. BP Gas has people everywhere. Most are here working just as hard as they would at their normal jobs. Trying to restore, protect and get the oil out of the water, sand and air. Others, however, are in unmarked cars, sitting in parking lots and monitoring citizens who are checking out the shoreline, taking pictures or asking questions.
What a dichotomy. The stress level here is high.
Elizabeth and Nancy from www.Hippyusa.org an organization that teaches parents the basic teaching/educational skills that they need to prepare their preschoolers for Kindergarten. They prepared a one-hour computer class today and taught it to the kids. Elizabeth did a great job. It’s hard for her sometimes, like with most teens, to have someone tell them how to do anything. She stepped up to the plate, hit and scored. I could tell how nervous she was but no one else could.
We actually had a couple of parents take the basic computer skills class. I love watching people challenge themselves to move beyond where they are at whatever age. This one lady had been so intimidated by the computer that she would not help her children with homework. Today she faced a self imposed villain and came out victorious.
There’s a tropical depression stirring in the Keys. It’s scheduled to be here by Thursday morning. If I thought it was going to be larger, I’d think about leaving. But it’s better to stay here and follow the storm north than try to out run it. We’ll leave as scheduled on Friday.
David from BP SOS gave a tour of the boatyards, shipyard and marshlands. I’ve posted some of the images on Facebook but I have a several great videos that I shoot that still need to be posted.
The community here is so resilient. I remember what the area looked like after Katrina. It was very different then. The disaster was obvious because of the massive destruction caused by the surge line and winds. Now, the landscape looks beautiful and the houses are intact. However, this time the impact is financial, emotional and biological.
The boat docks are full of picturesque shrimp boats and the summer skies are bright blue. Unfortunately, it’s the height of the shrimping seasons and the boat should be at sea for weeks at a time. These, mostly individually own, shrimp boats can hold thousands of pounds of “ Best in the world” seafood and the duration of each excursion lasts between 25 and 40 days.
The boats are double parked in some of the slips due to the lack of available spots. “ We have never had this many boats in this harbor for this long of time” one of the fisherman said. It’s been over a hundred days since the oil began to link.
I’ll tell you, I’ve heard everything from BP Gas is killing us, our government is killing us, we need to be able to fish and/or we need more off shore drilling. This was a town built around fishing that has become a town built more and more around oil production. Oysters and shrimp are in high demand and a way of life, oil has become the liquid gold. Shipyards that once built shrimp boat now build for the oil industry. The craftsmen with their torches weld the huge hulls of the Push boat in the same docks where the fathers before them crafted fishing vessels. The economy is 90 percent boat oriented in some way.
I chatted with some ladies sitting outside of a fish processing building today. One lady, Peg, told me about her families struggles to keep going. Katrina was five years ago and it’s taken almost five years for this industry to recover. Peg told me about the past three months without work. Her in-laws are in the fishing business, she and her husband are in the business and they have 3 children. The process of filing for assistance, with BP’s involvement, has made a horrible situation even worse.
I am not in politics and I leave it to the ones how should know better than I.
I can’t understand what is going on with our government. During Katrina I couldn’t wait to throw a pile of blame at W. Bush. His administration’s response was a disaster and a complete lack of orientation and humanity.
This administration’s response, however, does not seem much better. Baden’s speech here a few weeks ago is been replayed a lot. In it he stated that things were not so bad as he stood on a resort lagoon pristine beach. BP Gas has people everywhere. Most are here working just as hard as they would at their normal jobs. Trying to restore, protect and get the oil out of the water, sand and air. Others, however, are in unmarked cars, sitting in parking lots and monitoring citizens who are checking out the shoreline, taking pictures or asking questions.
What a dichotomy. The stress level here is high.
Elizabeth and Nancy from www.Hippyusa.org an organization that teaches parents the basic teaching/educational skills that they need to prepare their preschoolers for Kindergarten. They prepared a one-hour computer class today and taught it to the kids. Elizabeth did a great job. It’s hard for her sometimes, like with most teens, to have someone tell them how to do anything. She stepped up to the plate, hit and scored. I could tell how nervous she was but no one else could.
We actually had a couple of parents take the basic computer skills class. I love watching people challenge themselves to move beyond where they are at whatever age. This one lady had been so intimidated by the computer that she would not help her children with homework. Today she faced a self imposed villain and came out victorious.
There’s a tropical depression stirring in the Keys. It’s scheduled to be here by Thursday morning. If I thought it was going to be larger, I’d think about leaving. But it’s better to stay here and follow the storm north than try to out run it. We’ll leave as scheduled on Friday.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
thursday 8/5
Today was a very full day. Yesterday afternoon I spoke with Erin at Mobile Bay Keepers and our objectives shifted for 1/2 our trip. Here is how it shifted.
Over the last few days, I found myself feeling extremely irritated at the lack of response to my calls and emails to agencies in the Gulf area. (Not Mobile Bay Keepers and mainly my irritation with the others stems from the fact that Volunteers must go through BP America, yes British Petroleum before they can help) I have yet to receive a call from BP 8/5/2010.
I wanted the agencies to call me so I could schedule "My" agenda, "our" activities and so I could prepare for what " I " felt I should be doing. I can slip into a narrow focus and step into a big pile of " Me" if I'm not careful. And that's exactly what happened. The former producer/"get it done" in me sometimes bull doses through a situation.
The harder I pushed to get it done, the less was accomplished. The more frustrated I became. I was writing the sermon for the Wednesday service and it was on of all things, "Will" " self will". I was in self will run riot. I became aware that emotionally our journey to the Gulf of Mexico had become, in a matter of hours, more about the journey meeting my expectation instead of the journey itself. So, I released, from my white knuckled grip, any future experience before I had squeezed every drop of good intention from it. It felt like I had turned in the correct direction once again. Within about five minutes, I glanced down at a sheet of paper covered in notes, messages and numbers from a weeks worth of mapping. I noticed in the upper right hand corner a Texas number and " Boat People, SOS". Oh, that’s right, Erin had given me that contact information a couple of days earlier. So I called them. Grace, the Executive director, answered and I explained who I was and my intent. In my head I'm thinking " what am I doing calling them when our goal is to rescue wildlife. Do you rescue turtles?" yet Grace and I continued to connect.
" ...And the fisherman's children are not able to get school supplies because their parents have been without an income for almost 3 months." " I wonder if people outside of here forget that a way of life has stopped. And so has their ability to buy food, pay their bills and provide basic needs for their kids." With a gentle exhale, I began moving forward again. " What do you need?" I said to Grace, " School starts Monday 8/9/2010 and I bet most of our kids don't have what they need to begin school."
" We'll help and my daughter and I will be there on Monday." I know my friends, family and people in the community. They are true step up to the plate people. So I called Corey, the Director at the Paul Henson YMCA and told him, briefly, about what we needed to take with us to Mobile. Corey replied, " How can I help". Within a couple of minutes there was a " Help our neighbors" box in the lobby of the YMCA. Within two hours, Michael and Khara Cosentino had made a generous offer from Price Chopper Markets and within 4 hours (with donations made from some friends and family) we had enough money for 32 cases of composition books (48 per case), 500 pencils/pens, 10 cases of glue sticks, a few cases of loose leaf paper and over 1000 folders.
Heidi Alrey always says that life happens through us not to us. Yes.
Tomorrow Elizabeth and I will pick up the supplies. I have a station wagon and a cargo carrier for the top. I'm seeing the car filled to the sunroof with supplies. It was a Great day for me to get out of the way. Daniel
Over the last few days, I found myself feeling extremely irritated at the lack of response to my calls and emails to agencies in the Gulf area. (Not Mobile Bay Keepers and mainly my irritation with the others stems from the fact that Volunteers must go through BP America, yes British Petroleum before they can help) I have yet to receive a call from BP 8/5/2010.
I wanted the agencies to call me so I could schedule "My" agenda, "our" activities and so I could prepare for what " I " felt I should be doing. I can slip into a narrow focus and step into a big pile of " Me" if I'm not careful. And that's exactly what happened. The former producer/"get it done" in me sometimes bull doses through a situation.
The harder I pushed to get it done, the less was accomplished. The more frustrated I became. I was writing the sermon for the Wednesday service and it was on of all things, "Will" " self will". I was in self will run riot. I became aware that emotionally our journey to the Gulf of Mexico had become, in a matter of hours, more about the journey meeting my expectation instead of the journey itself. So, I released, from my white knuckled grip, any future experience before I had squeezed every drop of good intention from it. It felt like I had turned in the correct direction once again. Within about five minutes, I glanced down at a sheet of paper covered in notes, messages and numbers from a weeks worth of mapping. I noticed in the upper right hand corner a Texas number and " Boat People, SOS". Oh, that’s right, Erin had given me that contact information a couple of days earlier. So I called them. Grace, the Executive director, answered and I explained who I was and my intent. In my head I'm thinking " what am I doing calling them when our goal is to rescue wildlife. Do you rescue turtles?" yet Grace and I continued to connect.
" ...And the fisherman's children are not able to get school supplies because their parents have been without an income for almost 3 months." " I wonder if people outside of here forget that a way of life has stopped. And so has their ability to buy food, pay their bills and provide basic needs for their kids." With a gentle exhale, I began moving forward again. " What do you need?" I said to Grace, " School starts Monday 8/9/2010 and I bet most of our kids don't have what they need to begin school."
" We'll help and my daughter and I will be there on Monday." I know my friends, family and people in the community. They are true step up to the plate people. So I called Corey, the Director at the Paul Henson YMCA and told him, briefly, about what we needed to take with us to Mobile. Corey replied, " How can I help". Within a couple of minutes there was a " Help our neighbors" box in the lobby of the YMCA. Within two hours, Michael and Khara Cosentino had made a generous offer from Price Chopper Markets and within 4 hours (with donations made from some friends and family) we had enough money for 32 cases of composition books (48 per case), 500 pencils/pens, 10 cases of glue sticks, a few cases of loose leaf paper and over 1000 folders.
Heidi Alrey always says that life happens through us not to us. Yes.
Tomorrow Elizabeth and I will pick up the supplies. I have a station wagon and a cargo carrier for the top. I'm seeing the car filled to the sunroof with supplies. It was a Great day for me to get out of the way. Daniel
Monday, August 2, 2010
http://www.alabamaseaturtles.com/adopt-a-nest/
This is a link to the Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge. They have several ways to help, including adopting a sea turtle. Also it's not on the website, they are making great strides in removing unhatched turtle eggs from the shoreline and moving them to safer areas of Florida not impacted by the oil. Check them out. Elizabeth and I are helping at this reserve for 2 days. http://www.fws.gov/bonsecour/index.htm
Friday, July 30, 2010
Friday 9/30 One week out
We are getting pretty excited about our trip to the Gulf of Mexico, MS,AL,FL coasts.
First of all, I'm so grateful to Derek for all his support and efforts in making this trip possible for Elizabeth and I. We live full and abundant lives and it takes an extra effort on the home front when two of the three are away. Thanks Janet at Unity Temple on the Plaza for helping with my blog page, well, for doing my blog page :).
I'd like to share a web address of a musical artist that I love and her words and spirit really hits home with me. www.janastanfield.com Her music has won multiple awards and you my recognize her music from the church/country crowds. Jana lives in Nashville. Jana has ask if Derek and I would create a image library from our journey with Elizabeth in the Gulf so Jana could build a video for one of her songs for Youtube. "If I were Brave" Listen to her video from Carnegie Hall on YouTube. Thanks Jana
On to Gulf news.
Thank you for the emails and call of support and encouragement. We have a few volunteer days set up in the Pensacola area. There is a wildlife refuge that fosters and nurtures some of the recovering oil spill wild animals. I've contacted them about Eliz and I helping for a 2 days. They are checking it out and it looks promising. I'm getting my HASMAT training on Tuesday. It's a basic crash course designed to give practical safe guards, techniques and precautions to people with some existing training. www.hazmatschool.com/ is a good info site.
The age requirements restricts Eliz from working, must be over 18. Very understandable.
Does anyone have contacts at Sprint or Garmin GPS company. Several organizations need devices to help locate, relay to rescuers the exact coordinates of the found animals. What a great opportunity for a communications company to share more than directions to a restaurant. If you know anyone that can help with this need, please email me at daniel@danielwstoner.com. Maybe these items can be loaned or leased at a extremely low rate to these non profits.
I am hoping that we are able to meet up with a biologist in Gulf Shores. Elizabeth wants to be a Vet, most 14 year old girls do, and I want to expose her to the vastness of the field. She has been volunteering at Wayside waifs, a local animal shelter in the Kansas City area. www.waysidewaifs.org. We did an medical foster, a blood hound/English Springer mix. Everything was hound except his color, snow white with liver colored ears. It was hard to return him, until the hound yells in the middle of the night. That helped ease the process.
We are working with Elizabeth's school to communicate what we are doing and allow the summer session kids to follow along. I will most likely make Eliz's blog only accessible to other kids.
One idea Elizabeth and I are working on is the reactions of oil base fluid to various other liquids, primarily water, of varying temperatures. i.e Cold Arctic water vs. warm Gulf water. It's a project she can carry back to school in the Fall and involve others in her science class.
The car is clean and the car carrier is almost ready to go on top.
The recent small storm in the Gulf has given the impression that the oil is reducing. However, many biologist and scientist are reminding us that the very warm Gulf water is allowing the oil to " sink" to a lower concentration level below the visible sea level. Approximately 20ft below sea level, it's a thicker crude oil mixture. I read up on a few if the differences between the dispersion of crude oil in cold Alaskan waters/Valdez spill and the warm Gulf of Mexico waters. The oil stays extremely visible on the surface in cold temperatures verses warmer temperatures.
We are all looking for a resolution/remedy/solution for this environmental disaster however we must hold fast for the long term solutions.
Once again, thanks for being a part of this experience. I, we, welcome your thoughts and expressions. Be Well, Daniel
First of all, I'm so grateful to Derek for all his support and efforts in making this trip possible for Elizabeth and I. We live full and abundant lives and it takes an extra effort on the home front when two of the three are away. Thanks Janet at Unity Temple on the Plaza for helping with my blog page, well, for doing my blog page :).
I'd like to share a web address of a musical artist that I love and her words and spirit really hits home with me. www.janastanfield.com Her music has won multiple awards and you my recognize her music from the church/country crowds. Jana lives in Nashville. Jana has ask if Derek and I would create a image library from our journey with Elizabeth in the Gulf so Jana could build a video for one of her songs for Youtube. "If I were Brave" Listen to her video from Carnegie Hall on YouTube. Thanks Jana
On to Gulf news.
Thank you for the emails and call of support and encouragement. We have a few volunteer days set up in the Pensacola area. There is a wildlife refuge that fosters and nurtures some of the recovering oil spill wild animals. I've contacted them about Eliz and I helping for a 2 days. They are checking it out and it looks promising. I'm getting my HASMAT training on Tuesday. It's a basic crash course designed to give practical safe guards, techniques and precautions to people with some existing training. www.hazmatschool.com/ is a good info site.
The age requirements restricts Eliz from working, must be over 18. Very understandable.
Does anyone have contacts at Sprint or Garmin GPS company. Several organizations need devices to help locate, relay to rescuers the exact coordinates of the found animals. What a great opportunity for a communications company to share more than directions to a restaurant. If you know anyone that can help with this need, please email me at daniel@danielwstoner.com. Maybe these items can be loaned or leased at a extremely low rate to these non profits.
I am hoping that we are able to meet up with a biologist in Gulf Shores. Elizabeth wants to be a Vet, most 14 year old girls do, and I want to expose her to the vastness of the field. She has been volunteering at Wayside waifs, a local animal shelter in the Kansas City area. www.waysidewaifs.org. We did an medical foster, a blood hound/English Springer mix. Everything was hound except his color, snow white with liver colored ears. It was hard to return him, until the hound yells in the middle of the night. That helped ease the process.
We are working with Elizabeth's school to communicate what we are doing and allow the summer session kids to follow along. I will most likely make Eliz's blog only accessible to other kids.
One idea Elizabeth and I are working on is the reactions of oil base fluid to various other liquids, primarily water, of varying temperatures. i.e Cold Arctic water vs. warm Gulf water. It's a project she can carry back to school in the Fall and involve others in her science class.
The car is clean and the car carrier is almost ready to go on top.
The recent small storm in the Gulf has given the impression that the oil is reducing. However, many biologist and scientist are reminding us that the very warm Gulf water is allowing the oil to " sink" to a lower concentration level below the visible sea level. Approximately 20ft below sea level, it's a thicker crude oil mixture. I read up on a few if the differences between the dispersion of crude oil in cold Alaskan waters/Valdez spill and the warm Gulf of Mexico waters. The oil stays extremely visible on the surface in cold temperatures verses warmer temperatures.
We are all looking for a resolution/remedy/solution for this environmental disaster however we must hold fast for the long term solutions.
Once again, thanks for being a part of this experience. I, we, welcome your thoughts and expressions. Be Well, Daniel
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