Visit the Bucks Mont Katrina Animal Center Project
Photo Gallery
Here's a look at our progress, beginning with the April 2006 trip by more than 50 of us to deepen our relationship with the people of Hancock County, MS, and ending with recent photos.
Food Pantry Dedication

Original founders of the Hancock County Food Pantry, Eileen Sauzer, Rev. Dr. Arthur Johnson and Evelyn Johnson
Color guard from area ROTC presents the colors as the dedication begins.
Children who donated food are cheered by the crowd.
A stained glass commemorative plaque by Pam Zwerger of Perkasie is shown to the crowd.

Hancock and Bucks Mont friends prepare to cut the ribbon.
Bill Eastburn IV and Charles Gray of Hancock County Historical Society, unveil the plaque honoring Bill Eastburn III as a founder of the BMKP and honorary citizen of Hancock County.
Connie Eastburn tells the crowd at Tercentenary Park how greatly her husband would have been honored.
The Eastburn family surround the memorial plaque.
Food Pantry nears completion




Food Pantry, October 2008




Ladies Luncheon and Auction



Food Pantry-Construction Begins

Work has started, just a few days after receiving approval to proceed.


Tercentenary Park

Tercentenary Park was completed with this recent addition of the fence.
Young Authors/Books to the Bayou

Students get ready for the program.
Students respond with enthusiasm to the author's questions.
Author Will Hillenbrand describes the process to create a book.
Vikki Wescovich of Bay Waveland Schools and the author.
United Way Spring Break

Some of the college students who participated in the United Way Alternative Spring Break in Hancock County.
Students took part in a variety of jobs, indoors and out.
Efforts to return the landscape to pre-Katrina beauty.
Determination, even when the light is low.
Paws on Parade

Mo Gatto, BMKP's liaison on the ground in Hancock County, served as the Grand Marshal for the Paws on Parade fundraiser for the animal center.
The parade assembles.
Mo and friend.
Enjoying the fun after the parade.
BMKP reaps awards

Jon Otto accepts the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce's Lifetime Achievement Award from chamber leaders Goerge Donovan and Eric Hopkins.
Bill Eastburn address the crowd after accepting the United Way of Bucks County's Founders Award for his community activism.
Bob and Joyce Byers were honored at the Salvation Army's National Conference-Army of Champions in Dallas, Texas in April 2007. Joyce was unable to attend.
Regional members of NARI received the Catalyst Award for their volunteerism in MS. Bottom row: Bob Dubree, Mark Glidden, Mike Fallon, Pat Nunan. Top Row: Mark Kinsey, Debra Palochak, Joe Fallon, Bob Tilghman, Wes Carver.

The leadership of the Bucks Mont Katrina Relief Project accepts the Heritage Conservancy's 2007 Community Leadership/Grassroots Partnerships Award
Lawyers: Work Trip #3

First floor decking begins
The Pearlington house takes shape with the helps of lots of hands.
Megan Brey perfects the use of the palm nailer.
Bob Mangold, Jim Schildt and David Leslie Hughers take a little time out.

The core Pearlington house team included (rear, left to right) Don Schaller, Larry Lefkowicz, John Hart, Rick Witt, Ruthie Witt, Gary Mast, Rhetta VanderPloeg, Jim Egbert (front, left to right) Meagan Brey and Dan Egbert.
Trip leader Tom Mellon at work on a home in Bay St. Louis.
Bucks County Court staff Darlene Davis, Don Schaller and Mariann McCormick get a lesson in mudding from Pearlington Recovery Center volunteer Bob "Can Do" Putnam.
Part of the group relax after dinner at the EOC: Bob Mangold, Larry Lefkowicz, Nancy Shvanda, Tom Carrodus, Rhetta VanderPloeg, Carol McCoy, Megan Brey, Marian McCormick, Tom Mellon, David Leslie Hughes, Mo Gatto, Jim Egbert and Dan Egbert.
Dedication Day, March 13, 2007

The ribbon was tied -- not cut -- to symbolize the growing relationship between the Bucks Mont and our friends in Hancock County.
A jovial crowd gathered near the beach to rededicate Tercentenary Park, the work of the BMKP and Delaware Valley College students.
The jazz band played "Pennsylvania Polka" as the park was rededicated and new friends celebrated.
A ceremonial groundbreaking marked the start of another BMKP effort: The construction of an animal shelter.
Dedication Day: March 13, 2007

BMKP executive director Grover Friend addresses the crowd assembled to dedicate the new child care center.
Brad Neville, a volunteer from Bucks County Technical School, visits with children who are enrolled in the new day care center.
Some of the Bucks Mont contractors who donated labor and material to build the day care.
Beth and Fred Beans who, along with the employees of the Fred Beans Family of Dealerships, donated $113,000 to furnish the day care.
January 2007: Near Finished

Workers from Penn Valley in the homestretch
Collette McBratney from the Salvation Army and the day care director Lora Mederos finalize dedication plans.
Penn Valley workers add finishing touches.
Stained glass by internationally-renowned artisan Val Sigstedt, framed in Bucks County walnut by master builder George Swartz, will be a fitting tribute to the volunteer donors and labor.
January 2007




Students and others do finish work on day care center


Students from Bucks County Technical School's carpentry and auto shop departments fabricated alphabet letters that they helped affix to the exterior walls of the child care center.
Volunteers from E. Allan Reeves who worked on door hardware and classroom partitions are Jeff Thurston, Michael Mattei, Tom Silenzi, Brian Hesdon and Bill Shields.
NARI volunteers at work for "Adopt-a-Familhy"




Interior painting

Zebby Sulecki Painting is donating its services for interior painting. Volunteers include Jim Gibbins, Weislaw Pirecki, Joe Perkif, Ed Juslto, Todd Lovenvirth, Vladimir Kuznelsov and Lubomir Watueba.


Insulation and ceiling work




Interior work underway on child development center

Finishers from Wargo Interiors at work on the inside.
Another day of uplifting work!
Workers from Wargo take a rare break.
Carpenters from Reeves Construction do finish work on the exterior.
Seventh Street Park

In the clean-up phase, the folks of Moore County led the way, with help from Central Bucks Cares, including the Central Bucks Family YMCA, Central Bucks Chamber and Central Bucks Healthier Community Team.
The official dedication takes place Aug. 29 at 10:30 a.m., exactly one year after Katrina.
Special notes of appreciation to Pinehurst Surgical Center, FirstHealth of the Carolinas, Town of Aberdeen, Bob Boone and Shane McKinnon.
The finished park, ready to be enjoyed again, one year after...
Historic Preservation in Hancock County

Tercentenary Park, 1999-2005: Before Katrina
Tercentenary Park, post-Katrina
View of the bay from Tercentenary Park, post-Katrina
Work on the 1896 Lobrano House, home of the Hancock County Historical Society, is already underway.
Child Care Center, June 14

Here's the finished slab before steel work began.
Star Brothers of Penns Park, PA is donating all services to erect the steel.
The fork lift is a donation of Volvo Rentals, Langhorne, PA, throughout the course of the construction.
The first piece of steel is lifted into place.
Community meeting, June 8

Jon Otto address the crowd at the June 8 community meeting.
Jon Otto thanks Jen Huber and Bob Thompson of Thompson Masonry (second from right), representing the Southeastern PA Associated Builders and Contractors for their $15,000 check. Bill Eastburn and Bob Byers join them.
Four of the teens who were honored at the meeting were (from left) Sarah Jacobs, Sonnier Vander Ploeg, David Inserra and Matt Wallace.
Phyllis Eckelmeyer introduces members of the Massai from Kenya, who sold jewelry and donated the proceeds -- $1,000 -- to the Katrina Relief Effort.
Child Care Center underway

Joe D'Onofrio of Thompson Masonry on the scene.
Greg Peak, president of G.A. Peak Excavating, works on the backhoe he donated for a month.
Wendell Bishop, Pat Landes and Kerrin Musselman of I.T. Landes finish their work.
Completed below grade plumbing.
Child Care Ground Breaking

The crowd from Pennsylvania and Mississippi cheered the ground-breaking.
Children who will benefit from the new center serenaded the crowd
Parents expressed their appreciation.
Hancock, Mississippi and Bucks-Mont leaders discuss the plans
Eight months after Katrina...

A typical former home site, April 24, 2006
St. Clare Parish, Waveland, emanates hope.
Hancock Bank office, built in 1899, on the washed-away Beach Boulevard.
Main Street United Methodist is picking up the pieces.
Some of our other projects

The stainless steel commercial kitchen is installed, but gas leaks and lack of contractors have delayed its operation.
Collette McBratney of the Salvation Army and pricipal Janet Buras embrace.
The Seventh Street Playground in Waveland.
Work to rebuild the playground will soon commence.
Faith communities leading the recovery

Led by Bishop Jeffrey Reed, the Power House choir was an inspiration.
The congregation and visitors responded to the inspiration.
Rev. Dr. Bill Barger organized and led the prayer service.
Five ministers offered prayer and meditation during the service.
A time for celebration and thanks

Connie Rinker debriefs the Bucks-Mont group after meeting with teachers and school administrators earlier in the day.
Jon Otto, chairman of the child care committee, receives the appreciation of local officials.
Dr. Howard Savin and Dr. Karl Benzio, who chair the mental health committee, presented a check for $75,000 to assist in mental health services.
The celebration afforded all an opportunity to celebrate a little and hope a lot.
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