Drop off containers are put into place « 2006-05-04 19:36:38

Sue Weber and Connie Hawkins traveled to Mississippi the weekend of November 18, 2005. They arrived in Pascagoula the evening of November 19 and began delivering the drop off boxes to area Wal-Marts, making contact with the manager on duty at each store. The next day while delivering the remainder of the boxes, they did an interview at the Gulfport Wal-Mart that was televised on WLOX. They also delivered containers to The Sun Herald and WLOX in Biloxi. At each location two signs were attached to the boxes. One sign denoted the box as a drop for The Picture Project and listed the sponsors and the other sign asked that people scribble on the back of photos the closest zip codes to where they were found.

Karen Davis, one of the Wal-Mart managers at the D'Iberville store, talked about a picture she had found that turned out to be a picture of her elderly neighbor's two children sitting on Santa's lap years ago. She said the woman cried tears of joy when Karen returned it to her. Karen is living in a FEMA box trailer with her three sons, aged 10, 15 and 17.

Driving through the neighborhoods it was easy to see where homes had once been since the swimming pools were still in the ground. Some homeowners had returned and placed wooden boards with their addresses painted on them in front of where their homes once stood. One lot had a tree on it with a memorial wreath that said "In Memory of Uncle Nelson and Aunt Helen". Attached to the tree was a broken picture frame with a storm damaged photo of the couple, which obviously had been found on their lot after Hurricane Katrina hit.

By Sunday evening all the containers had been dropped off and the trip home began. Following the trip, area television and radio stations along with the local newspapers were notified of the container sites. TV stations in New Orleans were also given the information. The pictures are expected back in Erie at the Beginning of February.

DROP OFF BOXES ARE NOW LOCATED AT THE FOLLOWING WAL-MARTS:
PASCAGOULA.-4253 Denny Avenue, Pascagoula, MS 39581
OCEAN SPRINGS-3911 Bienville Road, Ocean Springs, MS 39564
D'IBERVILLE-3615 Sangani Blvd., D'Iberville, MS 39540
BILOXI-2381 Pass Road, Biloxi, MS 39531
GULFPORT-9350 Highway 49, Gulfport, MS 39503
SLIDELL-39142 Natchez Drive, Slidell, LA 70461
WAVELAND-460 Highway 90, Waveland, MS 39576
PACAYUNE-235 Frontage Road, Picayune, MS 39466

OTHER LOCATIONS:
WLOX TV-203 DeBuys Road, Biloxi
SUN HERALD NEWSPAPER-205 DeBuys Road, Biloxi

We would like to thank those who sponsored or made this trip possible.

1. J.H. Bennett, agent of United Van Lines for the boxes
2. DeSantis Signs for the drop point signs
3. The Erie Sport Store for the sign frames
4. Dave Hallman Chevrolet for the use of a car to make the trip
5. Lou Baxter of WJET TV for his contacts in the Mississippi area
6. Wal-Mart for the use of their Mississippi locations for drop point
7. WLOX TV-203 in Biloxi for their new stories to spread the word
8. And as always, The Sun Herald for all of their support and assistance in getting this project off the ground