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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday September 2, 2006 - 5 Helping people is what it's all about Continued from page 2 ing resources for Operation Home Delivery, he also spends a day each month working on a construction site. "It's very rewarding work, it's dirty, hot, sweaty work, but it's extremely rewarding," he said. "We've had some great experiences with families." The second floor of one house was under three feet of water, and the owner, a man in his 80s, came to speak to Meinert and his team as they mucked out the house. "He said, `I put every nail in this house myself.' He built this house 37 years ago, and I just couldn't imagine what he and his wife were thinking," said Meinert. After they amassed enormous piles of rubble they'd pulled from the house, the 10-person crew drove off. "When I looked back, the man and his wife were standing in front of the house, hand in hand, smiling," said Meinert. "That's a reminder of why we're here." Other signs of hope are popping up in communities ­ people in some communities are now cutting their lawns, or lending help to neighbours. "You're just reminded of the strength of one person, the strength of 10 people," said Meinert. Tuesday was the official one-year anniversary of the day Katrina first hit. Meinert said at first, he didn't want to be there to recognize it. BUILDING SITE: This row of houses is an example of the work Habitat for Humanity has been doing in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi as part of the rebuilding efforts following the devastation caused almost a year ago by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. "I wanted to be in Oakville in my backyard with my feet up, sitting by the pond with my family," he said, which includes his wife, Alison and kids, Elizabeth and Adam. "I started to realize why I didn't want to be here. It was impossible not to recall all the early thoughts, just staring in helplessness." The day before the anniversary, he went to a construction site at 6:30 a.m. and was given a reminder of why he's there. "It was so hopeful," he said. "It's a scene I've been to many times...In this case, about 120 volunteers showed up from all over, some in buses, some in cars, some on bicycles." Some of the people on hand were families that Habitat had already helped who were now helping others. "As they all walked away with tools in hand, at that point I felt pretty good about life again, because that's a good place to be," said Meinert. "It was just a great reminder to me that it really is the volunteers that make this happen and it really is the families that we do this work for." The anniversary was also a good reminder to everyone, Meinert said, that there's still a lot of work to be done. "If the anniversary got some attention to the plight of people living in substandard hosing, then I'm pleased," he said. "The work continues. The anniversary was one more day in a long process in recovery that's going to take many years." Habitat has recommitted its goal to have built 1,000 new houses by 2007. "We're very confident that will happen," said Meinert. "Many of these communities are going to be years, five, six, seven years, but we're on a very good path now." Once they hit that 1,000 home goal, Meinert says that might be when he considers coming back home. "That should be the same time the communities will be coming back. That's the time I'll joyfully return to Oakville. I miss my family and friends, they've been extremely supportive." To donate or volunteer with Habitat for Humanity's efforts to rebuild areas of the Gulf Coast devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, or to find out about other Habitat rebuilding efforts, visit www.habitat.org DO YOU LIKE TO GOLF? If you become a New Pre-Paid Reader you will receive a complimentary round of golf at Lowville Golf Club!* Plus you will be entered into a draw to win a foursome at Hidden Lake! Call Circulation to become a New Pre-Paid Reader: 905-845-9742 Oakville Beaver $72/yr *While quantities last