Tribute for the Efforts of Operation Mississippi Christmas

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, Hurricane Katrina crashed into the heart of the Gulf Coast on the morning of August 29, 2005, forever altering the landscape of New Orleans and the surrounding cities and towns, as well as the lives of those who called the region their home. It has taken the hands and efforts of many Americans of goodwill to help alleviate the hardships faced during this trying time. Rebuilding the post-Katrina Gulf Coast has not been, and will not be, easy. Yet in the midst of one of the country's greatest natural disasters, countless selfless individuals have worked to create a sense of normalcy for those who lost everything in Hurricane Katrina. Operation Mississippi Christmas was one such organized effort working out of St. Mary's County, Maryland, in my Congressional District. The members of Operation Mississippi Christmas volunteered their time and efforts in order to give the children of D'Iberville, Mississippi a much-deserved and enjoyable Christmas season. It is a privilege to be able to recognize the faith and determination of these men and women, as well as their dedication to such a worthwhile project. Members of the St. Mary's Hurricane Relief Fund kicked off their efforts with a gift drive spanning the entirety of St. Mary's County. The generosity of the residents of St. Mary's County was uplifting; all but eight of more than a thousand boxes passed out for adoption of the younger children of D'Iberville were returned with gifts. This feat can only be attributed to the great sense of humanity shared by the residents of St. Mary's. The original plan for transporting the gifts was to organize a C-130 air transport mission, but this plan was abandoned for lack of certainty of plane availability and impending inclement weather. Undaunted, the volunteers were able to obtain two tractor trailers generously donated by the Bailey family and the defense systems company BAE at the last minute, which allowed them to transfer even more supplies to D'Iberville than the original airlift would have. The organizers of Operation Mississippi Christmas laid out plans for a December 12 delivery of the goods and stuck to this plan with such tenacity that there was never any doubt of their success. On December 10, the loaded tractor trailers set out for Mississippi, while a team of eight St. Mary's Hurricane Relief volunteers flew commercially to Jackson and then drove the remaining 170 miles to D'Iberville. The volunteers then presented the gifts to local children during a celebration in the D'Iberville Elementary School gymnasium that included food and a special appearance from Santa. The younger children received the presents donated by St. Mary's County residents and the upper middle and high school students received gift cards. In addition to gifts for the town's children, the St. Mary's volunteers were also able to donate supplies sorely needed by the city of D'Iberville, including school supplies, first aid kits, computer systems, and medical supplies. Mr. Speaker, it is wonderful that the efforts of so few were able to bring such joy to so many, and these efforts would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication to public service exhibited by the St. Mary's Hurricane Relief Fund. Today I honor the amazing fortitude of these individuals and would like to thank them for their contribution towards bringing a much-needed sense of hope back to the Gulf Coast.