Description
I and obviously others have been trying to volunteer to help with the oil disaster on our coast. This is nearly impossible. Why? Should there not be a workable public facility to volunteer? We are directed to the Mississippi Volunteers agency that sends us to a web site, where we apply. Or think we do. All information is that BP is controlling the clean up. But what about the people that want to protect and defend their beaches and shores from the very people that in all probability caused the problem to manifest? I would not mind working with BP, but I do not want to work for them. There are all sorts of people who are calling to volunteer and being shelved for lack of direction. Can you find some for us?
8 Comments
ELi (Guest)
BB (Registered User)
I will try to help get you in touch with someone.
Stay Tuned!
Can you pass this issue around to others who might be interested?
geraldmc (Guest)
Hi Beverly,
I understand your frustration of wanting to help out but not having a clear sense of where you can go, who you should contact, in order to actually do that. I'm here in south Louisiana and while folks want to pitch in it's not at all clear how to go about it; overall we've doing a poor job of organizing the general effort.
Part of the problem is the nature of the disaster itself, and how things have unfolded since day 1. BP initially 'owned' the problem - they were 100% in charge - but we've seen that BP is incapable of managing and coordinating any like what's required here to fully respond. Our federal government's response has been ineffectual to some extent. Finally our local and state government agencies have been hampered by the top-down control imposed by BP and the federal government. It's frustrating to many.
The good news - if it can be called that - is that the effects of the disaster will be with us for a long time; plenty of volunteer opportunities exist and will be with us for the foreseeable future. The challenge is to effectively coordinate these efforts.
I suggest you keep trying - submit your name and contact information to the agencies that are soliciting help, be patient, and someone will contact you. If you haven't already you might try contacting the National Wildlife Federation, an org that's helping coordinate various efforts through their state level branches. Another effort underway is sponsored by The National Audubon Society (audubonaction@audubon.org). They are setting up a facility in Mississippi to help mobilize many thousands of volunteers. This effort is expected to get under way in July.
There are many efforts going on in parallel, and this in itself may be confusing.
The best advice is to keep trying, understand that organizing an effort of this scope is not easily done quickly, and the opportunity to volunteer will remain with us for a while. If you want to help and you persist you will have the opportunity.
Good luck!
gerald
Glen (Guest)
Beverly (Guest)
The SeeClickFix Team (Guest)
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why (Guest)
Annelies Gamble (Registered User)
We are actually SeeClickFix, not The Daily Times (note the name "The SeeClickFix Team" at the top of the posting). And this thread is on the SeeClickFix website.
Also, The Daily Times has no responsibility to get involved. They already are trying to help you, as the citizen, by posting our widget on their website.
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The SeeClickFix Team