wanting to go

The thing that has been bugging me this week is that, like so many I know, I would really prefer to be down on the Gulf Coast helping than being here in the Midwest. I have the web sites where I could apply to be deployed. I have skills that would be useful and I have the desire to help. The thing is, I have a large family and I am unsure how I could afford to be without a paycheck for two weeks. I know the people from the coast have bigger problems than that, but my responsibilities to my family are stronger than my ability and desire to go there and help. It makes me feel bad though. I'd like to find a way to raise money, or even just vacation hours, at the office I work at to pay part of my salary while I am away. But, where I work is not large enough for such a fundraiser.

That is a thought though...would you consider yourself a volunteer if you were still getting paid by your regular job even though you were not there? It seems like a way some company owners could give back to the victims and their employees could give also by spending their days helping others in need. If my employer believed in such a program, it would really help me feel better about working there and likely make me a longer-term employee. Just an idea…

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This article makes me wonder though about going at all. Or at least really lose faith in the distribution of volunteers. I think I would do anything...but I also know that my skills would really make me more useful in some areas than others.

Please read/or watch the video:
Firefighters: We were misused in Katrina efforts.

Thoughts?

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But, in the same vein...

This guy's mom reminds me of the dad I want to be for my boys:
http://maddogmedic.blogspot.com/
(Read 9/9/05, 9/8/05 and in that post there is a link to 8/22/04)