THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 7, 1995 TAG: 9505050200
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Ida Kay's Portsmouth
SOURCE: Ida Kay Jordan
LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
Portsmouth people sometimes amaze with their generosity, not only of material resources but of spirit.
Last Sunday when a violent storm whipped through town, leaving fear and devastation in its wake, volunteers from the Portsmouth Chapter of the Red Cross were on the spot immediately.
They worked tirelessly into the night, some of them all night, to assist residents who were forced to leave their homes either because of fallen trees and wires or because of a broken gas main. The next day, volunteers again were at the scene, providing a free lunch and hot coffee for both residents and workers who were trying to get the neighborhood cleaned up.
The assistance has continued through the week with Red Cross people helping those forced from their homes by the storm. In some instances, the Red Cross paid for motel rooms for families who had no place to stay.
So far this year the Red Cross budget has been devastated by disasters and the local office is already as much as $3,000 over budgeted money for disaster assistance.
In addition, those families whose belongings were destroyed during last Sunday's storm still need help. Donations may be send to the Red Cross at 700 London Blvd., Portsmouth 23704.
Meanwhile, I received a note from Adam Goldblatt, the banker who headed the American Heart Association's ``Cardiac Arrest'' this year. As could be expected, the folks in Portsmouth went over the goal and, Goldblatt said, did better than any of the other cities.
That follows in a community where the United Way workers often are the first and sometimes the only Hampton Roads city to reach its goal by the designated time.
It happens all the time, one way or another, in Portsmouth. People really believe in doing their part.
Another example of community sharing in a different way came last week when Portsmouth people housed members of the Band of the Hampshire Constabulary, a police officers' musical group from the area of our Sister City, Portsmouth, England.
About half the band are officers and the others cover a wide range of jobs. All are volunteer musicians.
The band was invited to participate in the Azalea Festival, but could not come without some place to stay. Since the members paid their own airfare across the Atlantic, most could not afford hotel rooms here.
The Sister City Commission went into action. Before the band arrived, 18 families in Portsmouth, one in Virginia Beach and one in Chesapeake had signed up to house 55 visitors for 10 days.
The John Nouries on Riverside Drive hosted one male band member who brought along his four children, ages 6-14.
``He had no place to leave his children so he could not have come on the trip without a place for all of them to stay,'' Peg Nourie told me.
Nourie said she enjoyed having the family stay in her home.
``They were fine people,'' she said.
Nourie said the band got the invitation to the Azalea Festival through Capt. Richard Merritt, the senior British representative at SACLANT.
But there was a problem finding housing for them in Norfolk, so Norfolk folks decided to call on Portsmouth for help.
As usual, Portsmouth residents came through with their extra bedrooms.
In addition, more Portsmouth folks saw to it that the visitors got a good taste of Portsmouth hospitality.
The Carrie B harbor tour was a highlight of the visit, Nourie said, because it gave the visitors a good view of both cities on the Elizabeth River.
In addition, they saw a movie at the Commodore and visited the Children's Museum. In return the band played a free concert at Portside and promised to come back in the future.
Housing strangers for 10 days is no easy thing. In addition, many of the host families also provided transportation and some meals for their guests.
Again, it was the generosity not only of material assets but of spirit that came through.
The very fact that Portsmouth people still cling to the old-fashioned virtue of giving to others should make life here very simple. But so often we reserve that generosity for strangers rather than share with each other.
What would happen if we were as willing to share on a personal basis across the many divisions by age and class and race that exist in this city? by CNB