There's much work to be done, but there's enough people behind this effort that I think it will culminate in an increased awareness of the Trail of Tears in Georgia. Our primary goal in all this is to bring it back to life.

This survey is the only organized effort to truly determine the number of people who are homeless at any given point in time in the seven metro counties area.

We know that many organizations in our community will continue to have benefits to raise funds for the relief effort in upcoming weeks. The Chamber will serve as a clearing house for that information, and we will publish a regular calendar in The Messenger detailing the upcoming events and services or programs available to evacuees.

We actually had to turn people away at the door. We're hoping to have a repeat performance this year.

They will be assigned a job, and that's what they'll earn. Every prisoner must work, in the laundry, in the kitchen or somewhere else.

It requires a lot of work, but we have a lot of enthusiastic people behind the effort.