AOL’s Knights of Columbus Council 9623 and the Cajun Navy have developed a partnership, cemented through response to disaster.

The Navy was present in St. John Parish for Hurricane Isaac response in 2012 and became nationally famous with their actions during the greater Baton Rouge flood of August 2016 and Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

So it was natural when a Cajun Navy organizer contacted local Knights of Columbus member Mike Abbate about relief help needed in the wake of Hurricane Florence, which struck the Carolinas last month.

“We decided to put a team together and discuss how we wanted to help and decided we needed a big warehouse,” Abbate told me this week. “Clarence Triche was able to help us with that center on Highway 51, the 2803 Triche Center. They have a lot of storage over there, so we are going to use it.”

Members of Knights of Columbus Council 9623 are now turning to the community for help.

Volunteers are accepting supplies at 2803 U.S. 51 in LaPlace, behind The Triche Center Building from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today (Oct. 6) and 1 to 7 p.m. Thursday (Oct. 11).

Relief workers in the Carolinas said the following high-demand items are being requested by church leaders from impacted areas: bottled water of any size, cleaning supplies, yard tools, nonperishable food items for the whole family, dehumidifiers, baby bottles and diapers.

Once collected in St. John Parish, Abbate said local KCs coordinate the supplies’ transport to Lake Charles, where they will be flown to North and South Carolina and distributed as needed by the Cajun Navy.

“Monetary donations of any amount will be used to purchase the most immediate needs,” Abbate said. “If we have to schedule another date or two or three, we will do that. Depending on the need, we’ll start gathering those things. We may be doing this all of October and maybe into November or December. We’re going to see how far we get.”

Donated items can also be dropped off on other days and times by contacting Abbate at 504-388-2452 or Larry Larousse at 504-652-6803.

“I think it will be a success,” Abbate said. “Almost any disaster that comes close to us, we try to take the bull by the horns and help the people in need.

“People, especially in the LaPlace area, are aware. We’ve been hit several times with Isaac, Katrina, the LaPlace tornado in 2016. The people know that they were hurt and harmed and flooded and are very outgoing to try and get that stuff to us to help other people. You may see that if you come around with the lines of cars coming to drop off stuff and leave.”

Local KC members have developed a trusted and reliable reputation in times of need when it comes to collecting all essentials for those trying to get back on their feet. They also cook large meals for disaster victims and response workers.

They were especially active in Hurricane Harvey relief, focusing efforts in the smaller communities of Eastern Texas and Vinton, Louisiana, going as far as to rent hotel rooms for a multi-week response that included home-gutting.

“I don’t know how the turnout is going to be, but in past years it’s been wonderful to see the outpouring of love for people in other parts of the country that really have seen some of the same things we’ve seen in the River Parishes,” Abbate said.

Stephen Hemelt is publisher and editor of L’OBSERVATEUR. He can be reached at 985-652-9545 or stephen.hemelt@lobservateur.com.