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Sep 12, 2005 7:18 am US/Central
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Hurricane Evacuees Continue To Arrive In Illinois
30 Evacuees To Stay At Elgin Mental Health Center
ELGIN (CBS) ―
A flight carrying Hurricane Katrina victims arrived in Illinois Sunday, as federal authorities in the Gulf Coast continued to evacuate displaced residents from the devastated area.
About 30 evacuees arrived at O'Hare International Airport from New Orleans Sunday afternoon. They were transported to a mental health center in Elgin, a western suburb of Chicago, where they will sleep in clean beds, get help arranging long-term housing and access to medical and social services, said Andrew Ross, spokesman for Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
The evacuees will occupy private, unused living areas at the Elgin facility.
CBS 2's Pamela Jones was with Gov. Rod Blagojevich as he visited evacuees who arrived Sunday in west suburban Elgin.
They're people of all ages. Some with pets. Others in wheelchairs. Many were ordered to leave their Louisiana homes with little but the clothes on their backs.
"We didn't decide to get out. They took us out," said hurricane victim Harold Doucet. "When I look at it, it's the best thing. Because like I was saying before, the water. We was in the cemetery for 15 days."
"We have doctors here, we have healthcare providers here," Blagojevich said.
The governor greeted the evacuees and toured the facility. As he looked over the warehouse of shoes, clothing and luggage, he boasted about the generosity of the local residents who donated the supplies. Blagojevich says the state of Illinois will continue to give.
The displaced residents will be able to stay here as long as necessary.
The state has received about 350 displaced residents evacuated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency since Wednesday, according to the governor's office.
At least another 2,300 Gulf Coast residents who fled either before or after the storm have reached the state on their own and sought assistance at Chicago's main relief center, according to the city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications.
New Orleans resident Gwendolyn Dunnigan, 62, was at the center on Saturday, picking over donated clothing and supplies. She said she left New Orleans the day Katrina hit and has been staying with her sister in Woodstock northwest of Chicago.
"It's been really touch and go," she said. "I'm from Chicago originally and was considering moving here next year anyway. So who knows?"
Other people in the state, meanwhile, continue to contribute to relief efforts by donating money, supplies and their time.
About 10 Bloomington area residents on Saturday attended an American Red Cross introductory course, which was added late last week because of strong interest from the public in volunteering, instructor Brian Jilek said.
"If I can go down there and get into a program and help long-term, I'll do it," said Mark Koch of Bloomington.
In Arlington Heights, a northwest suburb of Chicago, hundreds of cars paraded through a parking lot Saturday, dropping off bottled water, diapers, food and other supplies. The outpouring was sparked by a local moving company's offer of a semitrailer and 300 boxes to take donations to the Gulf Coast this week.
Paul Lombardo, CEO of moving company Boyer-Rosene, got more than he bargained for: He said he will send five of his trucks packed with relief supplies to the Houston Food Bank and the United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast.
(© 2005 CBS Worldwide Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)