Helping those in need in our Coast Guard community.

Sometimes we want to help. We want to get right out there and lend a hand, often not even knowing the details of a situation. That is commendable, in most cases, but a word of caution, get the facts, if you can before jumping the gun. Your efforts will likely be appreciated so long as they are directed in the right way.

Recently, the man in blue had a coworker experience a personal problem. Well, it's more than a personal problem, it was a regional problem that personally affected him. As it turns out, this particular Coastie lost all of his worldly belongings due to forces of Mother Nature recently. The floods came and demolished his home, along with many of his neighbors and a number of other area residents. We got the call. We felt awful. What could we do? How could we help?

We had to wait. It only made sense. He needed to deal with the matter at hand in a fashion that made sense. Insurance adjusters, FEMA and other appropriate personnel had to do their respective parts. The dust has settled a bit and the guy was ready for help.

In droves they came, my husband and the other men in blue. From what I hear, they gutted the residence, throwing out things that one would treasure and cherish--personal belongings water logged and destroyed. The property is a complete loss. It's truly heart wrenching. Thanks to the efforts of many dedicated Coasties who are not only his coworkers but also his friend, this guy can work towards rebuilding.

There is more help that will be needed (we expect), but we will wait and when the time is right and we know how to appropriate to direct our assistance. We will be there. That's what we do for our family right? We pitch in when we get the call. It's hard to be patient, but sometimes it's best to just wait for the person in need to say, "Yes, I need you now."