Harvey Helping on Gulf Coast
posted: 8/27/2006 at 10:10 PM
Every once in a while you get a bit of perspective thrown at you. That doesn't necessarily mean it's a negative, or something you'd rather not been hit with, but it always tends to change your thought patterns. This change is usually just temporary, and that's unfortunate, especially in cases like this.
I have known for a few months that one of my fellow Blazer broadcasters, and good friend, Antonio Harvey, was planning on heading back home to Mississippi to do some good. It almost been a year since Hurricane Katrina blew threw there are devistated so much of the area. Antonio had shared stories with me from back home many times as we rode back and forth to the airport together during last season. He always talked of having this urge to do something to help his former neighbors. A few months ago he created the chance, and as of right now, it's underway.
So, over the weekend, as I poured over the Internet, searching for NBA news, trade rumors, and reading different feature stories, I took a phone call from Harvey. He had just landed in Mississippi, and told me what he was seeing, the stories he was hearing, and what he was planning to do. I heard the passion in his voice, and also heard his mother, Dorthy, in the background, telling him things to tell me. Needless to say, the NBA news of the day, took a backseat. This story needs to be told.
Dorthy, or Mrs. Dot, as she's known in the Pascagoula area, used to work for the school district. Then the hurricane hit, destroyed the area, and turned everyone's lives upside down. Now, she works for Northwest Medical Teams in their Mississippi office, because, as Antonio put it, "she felt they needed her more right now."
Antonio got together with Northwest Medical Teams, and decided to build some awareness, and raise some spirits in his old home. A couple of Trail Blazers, Dan Dickau and Travis Outlaw, a former Blazer, Steve Smith, and some other former NBA players and NFL players, are helping him out. They'll tour high schools in the area, speak to the kids, see the damage first-hand, and work to raise funds.
"I can talk for days about the damage and the rubble down here," Harvey told me on the phone, "But, these lives have to be totally rebuilt. Things are just gone. It's already been a life-altering experience, and I just got here. I'm just trying to wrap my brain around all of this."
I talked to Harvey as he was driving down highway 90, in Biloxi, right along the Gulf Coast. He was doing most of the talking, and as the conversation went on, I felt like a passenger in the car.
"I knew it was going to be ugly," he told me. "All these houses, hundreds of years old, used to dot this highway. I've seen three houses, total, in the last 30 miles. Every city up and down the coast has the same problem."
As many people do, when they receive a slap in the face like this, Harvey began talking of his faith. "This place has been devistated. It's in God's plan that I'm here right now. I'm just a tool, being used to do God's will. I can't tell you how appreciative I am that He's given me this opportunity."
So, what is Harvey planning to accomplish? "More than anything, I want to let these kids know that we're committed, as individuals, and as a country, to rebuilding the Gulf Coast. New Orleans is a tragedy, but it got so much attention that a lot of these kids feel they've been forgotten. I want to let them know they haven't."
As for Mrs. Dot? I asked Antonio what she thinks of her son grabbing some of his influential friends and making the trip home. "Honestly, she doesn't expect anything less," said Harvey. "She thinks it's cool, but if I didn't do it, I'd probably get a spanking or something. She is moved by the fact that other people are taking the time to speak to these kids and tour the area."
If you're a regular vistor to this blog, you're going to be hearing plenty about this trip in the next few days. I've asked Antonio, and Blazer staffer Chris Bowles, who's also on the trip, to give us their stories and photos this week. We'll post them right here.
For some additional background, click on
this link to read a column written by
The Oregonian's Steve Duin recently on Harvey's trip. Also,
click here, and you'll be sent to the website of Northwest Medical Teams. You can read their take on this project, and learn how you can help.
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Wow, what a commentary on how serious the situation really is as another fall/winter approaches. It's heart warming to know how much people like this care to the point of actually doing something about it.
It's a shame the anti-blazer factions (Oregonian/KFXX) aren't publicizing this or getting involved as well.
Thanks, Mike for sharing this.
Kudos to Antonio, to the players, and to Mrs. Dot for their unselfish efforts. Keep your eyes on the national media, and see if this gets any traction. It'll be interesting how much, if any, positive press this trip gets.
And by the way, it's "devastated," not "devistated," and "pored over," not "poured over."
Just sayin'.
Mike, has the wild one been helping you with your spelling?
I'm sure i'm not the first to ask, but are you still doing a blog here?
I heard Mike's on vacation getting rested before the season starts. I'm sure he'll come back soon.
Great work by Antonio Harvey. it would be great to see more of the current players participate in projects like this. Life isn't just big screen TV's, video games, Hummers and basketball.
MacMillan said on podcast that 20 players were in Portland working out. Who is here and WHO IS NOT?
hI EvEryBoDy, I'm PiCColA,FroM MaDrId, SpAiN.i Know tHaT you're not talking aBoUt him, but i waNNa say ThAT SeRgIo "SpAnIsH MaGiCiAn" RoDrIGuEz it's AN UNbEliEVaBlE BoY...jUst aN amAzIng pLAyER. He Is YoUng, FasT AnD rEalLy ClEvEr. i sAw hiM few tiMes and i've beEn alWaYs iMpRessEd. You've got a ReaL TreaSuRe!!!I'M SURE, He wILL bE the rookie oF tHE yEaR!!!
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