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The Search for Rachel, a father's journal

Thursday, September 1 through Sunday, September 4, 2005

With the horrible devastation in New Orleans and other places in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama hit by Hurricane Katrina, I added a list of organization people can donate to on Rachel's Message Board. The destruction and lost of lives is huge and people need as much help as possible. Rachel's mother Janet has be volunteering at the Austin Convention Center where several thousand hurricane refuges are housed.

I start a new job on Tuesday. It with be nice to be working again. I will not have as much vacation time so my amount of out of town trips will have to be reduced next year. I still plan to do as much as possible to help missing persons.

Monday, September 5 through Sunday, September 11

Austin and other Texas cities continue to host Hurricane Katrina survivors. Many of the displaced children will attend Texas schools this fall. It is expected that several families will decide to stay in Texas rather than return to Louisiana or Mississippi.

I spoke with Fox Valley Technical College, and the two missing person training classes this fall will take place as scheduled. One class is in Appleton, WI, and the other is in Bismarck, ND. I will be doing the victim impact portion of the program at both training sessions.

Monday, September 12 through Sunday, September 18

Monday night Rachel Alert Network hosted a M.U.S.T. self-defense and awareness seminar at Lake Travis Middle School. Our instructor taught over 35 high school girls and several mothers the basics for protecting themselves from a possible attacker.

Sunday afternoon RAN and the Lakeway Police Department hosted a M.U.S.T. beginner seminar for around 40 women and teens. The beginner seminar was followed by an advanced M.U.S.T. seminar. Several females from the earlier seminar and the Monday night Lake Travis M.S. seminar attended the "hands on" advanced seminar.

Deborah Brown is heading to Fort Worth next Saturday to teach a M.U.S.T. seminar to at least 60 women. I will probably attend that seminar.

Monday, September 18 through Sunday, September 25

Hurricane Rita caused a mass evacuation of the Houston/Galveston area this past week. Tens of thousands of people poured into Central Texas trying to escape the storm. On Friday the hurricane turned a little east, and the eye hit landfall between Houston and the Texas and Louisiana border.

On Sept 28, 2005, a "GINA for Missing Persons" CONCERT LIVE WEBCAST will be held from 8-10 p.m. PST. The concert features Harriet Schock, Susan Gibson, and Jannel Rap. Ms. Rap's sister Gina is missing from Nebraska. To view the concert go to http://www.kulakswoodshed.com/webcast.shtml. For more information on the concert and the G.I.N.A. organization go to http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/rcooke/vpost?id=662453&trail=15#1.

Monday, September 26 through Friday, September 30

The "GINA for Missing Persons" concert was very nice. The sound and video quality were excellent for the group of talented performers. This concert featured several Texas missing persons, including Rachel. It would be nice to have a concert like this on AUSTIN CITY LIMITS. Perhaps I will contact this PBS program.

Most of the Hurricane Rita evacuees headed home this week. Many of the Hurricane Katrina evacuees who came to Texas are getting local jobs and staying here.