Elizabeth W, Santa Cruz: Your generation is actually helping along the Gulf Coast in MANY ways. When my husband and I were blessed to be able to work there in November, we witnessed several college students and recent college graduates who were volunteering to gut houses, clean up yards, distribute supplies, and do lots of listening and caring. Many were staying at Camp Coast Care in Long Beach. Many were there for a long weekend; many were there "for the duration"; and, many drove overnight from as far away as Pennsylvania and Indiana to work for a couple of days at a time. The commitment and caring of young people of your generation provided hope for the people of Long Beach, Pass Christian, and Waveland who came to Camp Coast Care for medical care, food, and supplies. I sincerely hope that you don't lose faith in yourself or others of your generation. You are OUR hope for the future!

At the risk of stating the obvious, Don Lewis's remarks are easily explained in the fact that he is from California; and LA at that. Period.

God Bless Coach Loiacano. I have always known that a high school football coach teaches much, much more than football to the young men in his charge. Coach Loiacano proves he is one of the best. It is hard for people who have not seen the damage on the coast to comprehend it. One picture, one camera pan does not capture it. This area looks like bombs have hit everwhere. In my part of the state (central MS) I was without power for 10 days and have roof damage and numerous huge old oaks down and that is nothing compaired to the coast. We had no running water, no stove, no AIR CONDITIONING IN AUG/SEPT IN MS and this was for only 10 days! Imagine leaving your home for work tomorrow morning and when you get back, it's all gone. Pictures, bikes, food, clothes, all gone! The next time you see a picture of the Bay, Waveland, Pascagoula, etc. mentally enlarge that one picture until it encompases miles of that very same image. Nothing. God Bless these people and you are all in my prayers.

From all of us up here in Michigan, we'll continue to pray for, your home, business and family Mr. Loiacano.
Although we never see flooding and damage as severe as what we've seen in the gulf region, Vassar Michigan does get it's share of flooding. My wife and I own a business in downtown here and we're always keeping an eye on the local river and drain.
Whenever we see the river rising, we'll be thinking of you. May God Bless you richly this year!

Walk a mile in his shoes, people. Unless you have experienced this level of devastation personally, he's getting back part of his life, one piece at a time. If you want to help, get off your keyboards, get down there to the South and offer to help. It's still needed.

your a goog man and god will bless you

Jim Werther of Danbury CT opines:

"At the risk of stating the obvious, Don Lewis's remarks are easily explained in the fact that he is from California; and LA at that. Period."

Easy with the generalizations there. I'm from L.A.,
and do not agree at all with Mr. Lewis.

COACH: GOD BLESS YOU! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK OF CARING FOR THOSE THAT HAVE PARTED BEFORE US....GOD BLESS YOU AND THE COASTAL PEOPLE. ONE DAY A TIME YOU CAN GET YOUR LIFE BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.....PEACE AND MUCH NEEDED STRENGHT. 2006 WILL BE BETTER

DID YOU EVER LEAVE HOME FOR A DAY AND WHEN YOU GOT BACK, THERE WAS NO SIGN OF YOUR HOME. IT HAPPENED TO ME AND SO MANY OTHERS. PLEASE KEEP YOUR UGLY COMMENTS TO YOURSELF. THERE BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD GOES YOURSELF.

Thanks to all for your prayers and comments. Your support has lifted our spirits and touched our hearts.
The west coast has been here to help in large numbers.
We personaly had two cousins from L.A. and San Diego , a group of high school students from Newbury Park, Ca., and a group from Marysville, Wa. There is also a large group of volunteers sponsored by a group from northern Ca. that is providing hot food and hands to help us get back to normal living. A high school group from Indiana also pitched in with help.
We feel blessed and fortunate that people have reached out to aid us from across the whole nation.
J.E. Loiacano & family

I work for the Army Corps of Emgineers and we were the first in after the storm hit and cleared roads and repaired the beach road so that people were able to halfway get around, but I also am a Christian and my church sent and is still sending people to gut and clean out people's homes. When I saw the devastation I could not believe my eyes. The storm came right up the state and when it got to us it was a catagory 1. My neighbors had trees fall through their homes and there were some people who were killed. We were without electricity for a month and some parts of the county and phone lines were down. Trees were everywhere and we are almost three hours away (as the crow flies) from the coast. You just can not imagine how awful it is unless you get up off your duff and go see for yourself. There is nothing but slabs on the gulf front and behind that there is nothing but piles of debris where homes used to be. There are clothes, bedsheets, insulation, porch swings, and garden benches along with a lot of other items up in the tops of trees. I have no sympathy with those who talk about laziness or government hand outs. Talk is cheap!!!!!!!!!!!!! Get up and do something to help or keep your mouth shut.

brenda from ky:
you don't know what you are talking about. if you truly want to help, keep your opinions to yourself.

I admire this man for his hard work. I was temporary exiled from my home in Jefferson, LA, but have friends and family that have lost everything. I have helped gut homes of family members and been a shoulder to cry on those without a home to gut. I returned to work without air conditioning in 95” weather, but was thankful to have a job The most commonly used phrase here is “How did you do?” or “Where did you live?” . Sometimes the latter says it all!

I am from N.E. Ga., where, fortunately, I grew up in a family where we had to grow our own food, draw water from a well, no inside plumbing, hand wash clothes, and had wood heat. As such, I learned the value of hard work, resourcefulness, improvising, and doing a lot with a little bit. I learned to shared, show respect for others, their property and their feelings, cooperate, I grew up on adages such as 'if you cannot say something good, don't say anything at all. Mr. Loiacano, good works, and to all those who have given Mr. Loiancano the respect he deserves, good work to you too.

J E, I know you don't remember be from MSU, but when you played there and season was over, you and Justin used to come into the weight room. You helped me, a scrony little sophomore spread my arms more in my bench press. Later you wrote in my yearbook: "Be cool, don't be no fool, keep a cool tool." You wrote that after you gave me a lift to Smith Dorm - a big football hero who had time for a scrony little dude from Greenville, Ms. I saw Justin before I left Memphis, and he said you had the health business. While I live outside of Birmingham, we became a haven for some of our friends on the Eastern Shore of Mobile, and we all watched in horror as we saw you guys go through this terrible thing. I want everyone to know that you were someone I looked up to even though we were only in our twenties, and I find you are still an inspiration to me. I salute you, my man. Li ho benedici!