Oct 21, 2005 By Guest Commentary 4 min read

By Rob Nemchik My name is Rob Nemchik, son of Mary Ann and Andrew Nemchik of Uledi, Pa. I moved away from Uniontown in 1985 after graduating from California University and starting my six-year active duty Army service as a 2nd lieutenant. I have visited and stayed in touch with family and friends since leaving. I now live in Marietta, Ga., a suburb of Atlanta.

I am writing to you in an effort to keep the awareness up for those people who are still suffering from the effects of Hurricane Katrina. From day one, I have kept a watchful eye on the events unfolding with the catastrophe. I realized by Aug.30 that the scope of the disaster and subsequent response were being underestimated. Like many other private citizens, my wife Patsy and I have taken it upon ourselves to get involved. In the past six weeks, I have solicited private donations for supplies and made three supply runs to Mississippi. The last run included a two-day work effort by myself and four other volunteers. Additionally, we have also taken a New Orleans family of four into our home and they have been with us since Labor Day.

I know Katrina is “old news”, but not to our fellow Americans on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I am squeezing out time in my life to assist those affected, as well as continuing to perform my job and take care of my family. Our reason for getting involved is simple: practicing the Golden Rule. I would like to share one of my many observations and subsequent feelings since being involved and volunteering in Pass Christian, Miss., this past weekend.

This past Tuesday, our President George W. Bush was in Pass Christian to visit Delisle Elementary School. I was in Pass Christian two days before. Delisle is about five miles north of the town of Pass Christian. Delisle had no trees surrounding the school, but did have its roof torn off. The roof has been replaced thanks to Good Morning America, as per the locals I worked with this weekend.

The progress of getting the school up and running is a good thing. But, it is putting a spin on the situation to those of you not there that “all is well”. Well, I am here to tell you, it’s not. As a matter of fact, it is far from it. Just about everything south of Delisle to the coast is torn up.

This “photo op” has once again infuriated and insulted me. The marketing and packaging of messages from our elected officials sickens me. I am tired of them dodging issues and not being held accountable for their actions or inaction.

What does it say about the leader who appoints an unqualified director of FEMA, pats him on the back three days after our worst national disaster response and says, “Good job Brownie!”, only to force him to resign a week later? You all wouldn’t tolerate Dan Rooney hiring a women’s water polo coach to replace Bill Cowher, would you? You would be writing Dan letters and knowing all my fellow Steelers fans, protesting at Gate C of the season home opener. So why are we letting Washington, D.C., get away with it? Are sports more important than our future?

Our elected officials in Washington, D.C., have taken their eye off the ball. They have isolated/insulated themselves from what the common citizen goes through. We are letting these people take us down the wrong road. Get away from your TV’s and sit on your porches, talk to your neighbors, get to know them, redevelop that sense of community that once existed – and for Pete’s sake, get involved.

I am proud of my parents and the area where I grew up. It will always be home. Who I am today is the result of my parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, neighbors, and the community sharing themselves and their experiences with me. I have not forgotten you all and I am asking you to not forget the people of southern Mississippi, for they continue to need our help.

Rob Nemchik, formerly of Uledi, resides in Marietta, Ga.