Hurricane Angels

A souvenir from our Arkansas angels.

In need of some good news? It has been a tough year for the good old USA, but the strong will survive. Having survived back-to-back hurricanes, Louisianans have learned to take the good with the bad and keep on living the good life.

There is plenty of good to go around. You just have to get past all the “fluff” to appreciate the good deeds of people to one another. In times of need, you learn to be thankful for your fellow man. Our two-acre piece of property was destroyed by back-to-back hurricanes. Like everyone else, we were overwhelmed by the enormity of the aftermath. We were in the long process of cleaning up the mess, when a truck with Georgia plates pulled up and the driver asked if we need-ed help.

Two Christian Brothers had driven all night from Georgia to lend a helping hand. This was our moment of divine interven-tion. For two days, these guys chain sawed the jumble of downed trees and debris. Never was a helping hand more appreci-ated. When the smoke cleared, we offered to pay to off-set their expenses, but they would not accept their just renumeration.

Emory McCormick with her fine Longville buck.

Later in the week, as we continued clean-up, a group of volunteers began work on our neighbor’s yard. They asked for our permission to eliminate a giant oak.

A souvenir from our Arkansas angels. tree that breached our property line. After we signed a release, they revealed they would help us out when they finished. We held out hope, because this was a monu-mental undertaking.

True to their word, the volunteer group from Arkansas hauled their equip-ment over and went to work. It was an-other divine moment as these “hurri-cane angels” descended on our property. Equipped with chainsaws, bobcats and track hoes, they attacked our decimated piece of property in the heat Louisiana is famous for.

It was inspiring and cathartic to watch in awe as these “strangers” worked  to help out their fellow man. There must have been a dozen or more volunteers, all of whom knew how to handle a chainsaw.

At the end of the day, they would not accept payment. All they asked of us was to pray with them. We joined hands and gave thanks to a higher power. It was a powerful moment as we prayed and gave thanks. I was OK until my better half (Tiffany) began to cry tears of appreciation. These virtual strangers will never know how much their consider-able efforts positively changed our lives. We shook hands and hugged each other. It was a moving moment that felt good to be a part of.

This group personifies what is great about living in the greatest country in the world. These are our true heroes, and they exemplify why they call it the good old USA. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Blake Farr and his eight-point buck.

In the photo corner are two lo-cal up and coming deer hunters. First there’s Emory McCormick with her fine Longville, La. buck. Also, young Blake Farr scores a healthy Louisiana eight-point buck. Guess what is for dinner? Correct answer: fried backstrap! God bless Louisiana and the joy these young hunters derive from their time in the great outdoors.