Gulf Coast Enterprises Responds to Needs of Employees in Gulfport, Mississippi

Before Hurricane Katrina made landfall on August 29, elderly veterans living at the Gulfport Armed Forces Retirement Home were evacuated to Washington, D.C. But what of the 48 employees of GCE who operated food services at the facility? Fortunately, like the veterans, they had people who cared about them: their co-workers at Lakeview Center. A call for help went out over the LCI e-mail system; four days after the storm, a team of four -- Rich Gilmartin, Gary Murphy, Russ Schreiner and Troy Adams -- drove to Gulfport bringing supplies donated by LCI employees such as hygiene kits, MREs, bottled water and insect repellent. In addition, LCIs accounting department managed to run payroll a day early so the Gulfport workers could get their paychecks. When the team returned several days later, Debbie Ray Kings went along to administer tetanus shots. Twenty-three employees who had not evacuated were supplied not only with necessary survival items, but with new employment and, in three instances, new places to live, fully furnished by LCI donations. Thanks to all who contributed!