Diocese offers hurricane relief

Volunteers worked to help their neighbors this holiday weekend.

"Isn't it amazing?" said resident John Harrod.

Harrod can hardly believe how quick these volunteers are helping him return his home to its former self, the way it was before Ike.

It sits not far from Galveston Bay, in the community of Shore Acres, and you wouldn't know it from the outside, but the Harrod home was devastated on the inside by at least two feet of water.

"I'm putting in a second coat of mud which is going to help keep these two pieces, the old sheetrock and new sheetrock together," said Christine Harris.

It's work that 12-year-old Christine has never done before, but was willing to learn.

"It's a lot more rewarding than sitting at home and playing X-Box or whatever," said Christine.

"You can't complain about a young girl like that who is donating her day for someone she never met," said Harrod.

The volunteers come courtesy of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, working in Galveston and La Porte, every week for months now.

"The need is going to be there for a long time. Rebuilding is a process where you can't put 35 people in a house and be done in a day. You have to have eight people over the course of two weeks or a month or whatever," said Episcopal Hurricane Relief Coordinator Maggie Immler.

The motivation is simple.

"It feels great to help nice people," said Christine.

The need is strong.

"As long we have all this help, I think we'll have it done," said Harrod.

The work is definitely worthwhile in Shore Acres.

The diocese is always in need of more volunteers, either individuals or in groups. Skilled workers are helpful, but not necessary. If you'd like more information, log onto to the diocese website.