Observations this week

Here are some things I have noticed this week:

1) Wal-mart has a catastrophic storm team that could compete with any utility response plan or rival the organization and set up of any insurance catastrophic team. I went to my local Wal-mart Tuesday morning, and I was greeted by three separate managerial members of this team before I entered the store. This particular location lost power last week for approximately 36 hours, but the store has been completely restocked, all perishable goods replaced, etc. There was a major battery display, containing every size battery imaginable. I don't know how they got all of those batteries in place that quickly.

2) The amount of clean-up completed each day is surprisingly appreciable. From the 24-hour mark on, each day shows significant improvement. Volunteers were able to have tarps in place in many neighborhoods before the rains returned this week. There is still so much to do, but there is progress.

3) Item 2 is due, in large part, to the vast number of volunteers who have pitched in through local churches and other organizations to go out with chainsaws and other clean up crews to help clear debris at residences. In fact, some teams have been turned away by neighborhoods because so many volunteers were already there working; those turned away went to a second and third community to provide assistance.

4) Even the little things are being addressed. In the Birmingham city most damaged, the high school was demolished. That school's prom was scheduled for this Friday night. A clothing drive, dubbed "Operation Prom Dress" has been organized. Approximately 300 prom dresses have been collected/stored so far for students at three high schools. Along with the dresses, shoes and accessories have also been collected. Letters of support from a Hurricane Katrina survivor were attached to some of the dresses.

5) Food service on sorority row at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa has become efficient and systematic. So far, they report serving in excess to 10,000 meals to those seeking sustenance following the storms. Local businesses and churches are supporting this commitment by responding to their requests for food via social media. Students report tweeting specific needs (i.e., "we need loaves of bread") and report near-instant response (i.e., "a local bakery delivered hundreds of loaves of bread an hour later").

To be sure, there are unpleasant and tragic observations as well, but the optimistic aspects are easier on the eyes.