This, from a posting I placed on a professional meeting planning site, in response to a post regarding New Orleans.  You can take the girl out of New Orleans, but you’ll never take New Orleans out of the girl (or guy!)…

I’m from New Orleans and I’ve lived in No California/Silicon Valley for 20 years. I went home last August, a year after Katrina, and was almost dumbstruck by the level of destruction still visible throughout the City and for miles and miles, as far as the Gulf Coast. The Quarter, and the downtown highlights for all intents and purposes, are fine. The Quarter was protected and saved.

New Orleans is really between a rock and a hard place right now, desperately needing the life-blood of tourism that has always carried the “City that Care Forgot”. Almost two years later, residents are still struggling to get through the legal red tape of insurance dollars and FEMA issues to rebuild – how can you go home when you don’t yet have a home, for sure, to go home to? Rest assured, New Orleanians have a spirit and loyalty to the City that can’t be drowned out.

As a friend in the hospitality and meetings industry, please check out this web site, and take a minute to “click and join” – www.levees.org. We now have a California Chapter, a Florida Chapter, and the founding New Orleans Chapter.

Joining www.levees.org costs you nothing, and your show of support means so much to those who have lost everything due to failing levee systems.

Remember, Jazz Fest is coming up at end of April and first weekend of May. Whenever you plan to visit New Orleans, you’ll find a party, a parade, great food! and a graciousness that you’ll long remember.