Goliath Said “Who Dat?”

Kathleen Johnson 1/20/07

There is an article on Gulf Coast News which has a taped recording in which a question is asked "Who Dat?"

It was not a problem when “Dat” organized a donation of about $2,000 worth of building materials and electrical supplies to be delivered to Goliath’s home from a DRO in Bay St. Louis. It was not a problem when the electrical portion disappeared within 24 hours and Goliath had to file a police report. But then, the brand new lawn mower disappeared from his home within hours of the volunteers taking it there. And it was not a problem when “Dat” requested a $1,500 grant from a non profit and it was deposited at a local lumber yard under the Goliath’s name for materials. A local volunteer group put quite a dent in Goliath’s home during that stint. And, he asks “Who Dat?”

Dat has written multiple Work Orders for work to be done at the Goliath’s home since June. Volunteers have mowed, gutted, cleaned, moved personal belongings from the home to the storage buildings, from the storage buildings to the Quonset Hut, and the case continues to be an open case on the books. Who wrote the Work Orders starting in June, 2006? And, he asks “Who Dat?”

And the meetings in the office week after week since June. Some private, some with other City Employees, and some with donors with checks in hand for “pictures” and accolades for that all important marketing of the disaster. And the Goliath has graced the presence of my office at City Hall on at least two occasions that I can recall, chatted with me in the parking lot, and assisted me when the City towed off Dat’s truck from the Parking lot. In fact – the Goliath claimed he paid for the towing fee out of his own pocket. Of course – we never did quite figure out why it was towed and how it got “unlocked” while it was “gone”. But, what the heck – it came back. And, he asks “Who Dat?”

“Kathleen take pictures at the anniversary presentations” says the City Employee from Public Relations. So, as Dat, I stand there at the Anniversary celebration and take picture after picture of people receiving awards for volunteerism. And then I hear my name being called and Goliath takes time out of the hum drum of presentations to make quite a speech on my behalf. I do not handle accolades well and start to cry. I always cry at those times in my life. The award sits on my wall – I used to be quite proud of it. I do not have a picture of the award – but I do remember my picture was plastered all over the front pages of National Newspapers as I cried with a local victim at the dawn memorial service on the anniversary of Katrina where Goliath gave a speech. The man I hugged and cried with during the service had lost his wife in the storm. That, of course, was in August. And, he asks “Who Dat?”

And then I needed a phone line of my own. One phone and 700 clients was an overload on the system. So out the Goliath whips two crispy hundred dollar bills to help pay for the installation of a phone, for my personal use, at City Hall – I handed those two crispy bills over to the Donations Dept who handed them to the non profit. The phone got installed at trailer #8, communications improved as Goliath called me several tims on that phone. And, he asks “Who Dat?”

Best of all when I left City Hall without announcing my exit prior in December– Goliath requested a command performance and that I come back with the Public relations coordinators, past and present, and we had a meeting in Goliath’s office to smooth over the churning waters. The newspaper did quite an article on the transition away from City Hall and still Goliath asks “Who Dat?”

Who Dat? Dat is just a little olde lady who works tireless from about 4am in the morning to late every night making sure the Citizens of Waveland get their best shot at long term recovery by writing grants to raise funds, soliciting volunteers, coordinating crews, and directing construction coordination. Dat little olde lady has been since just after Katrina hit landfall in 2005 - living in a 30 foot motor home with very few frills, no income to speak of, no time off, very little support, but a large website that details most of the work in one form or another. Dat little olde lady does not have her name on the checking account at the non profit – has no hand in writing the checks. But she does make sure the clients do get exactly what the Grant awards them. And, he asks “Who Dat?”

When it came Thanksgiving and all the employees got coupons for a Turkey. City Hall asked “Who Dat?” and the little olde lady went home without one. Very hurt in fact. The little olde lady worked all Thanksgiving Day, at City Hall, without a thanksgiving dinner, writing grants which were all granted some three weeks later to the tune of about $40,000.00. And, he asks “Who Dat?”

And all those emails to City Hall over the six month period. Sadly, I have to admit - he never replied to one of them. And, he asks “Who Dat?”

It was “Dat” same person who got the State of Mississippi to send a lease to the City of Waveland for the buildings on McLaurin street for use for Volunteer Housing just two weeks ago after months of negotiations starting in August of 2005. The proposal was written from Katrina Relief to the Governor of Mississippi with a letter enclosed from the Goliath. And, he asks “Who Dat?”

And over the past fifteen months what about those hundreds of citizens Dat has worked with , sent volunteers with Work Orders to assist, raised funds for, cried with, and worked with on long term recovery with? And, he asks “Who Dat?”

Yes, Goliath should asking “Who Dat?” Dat, Sire, is a volunteer. One of an estimated 350,000 who have come to your aid since Katrina made landfall. These "Dats" have along way to go on this plan known as long term recovery.