...They have delivered 350 bags of household essentials, launched a holiday adopt-an-angel program benefiting 750 people, led a team of college students to work during spring break, helped rebuild homes and delivered outdoor toys for children, tool kits and vacuum cleaners.

"What they have done to restore our old lives is nothing short of a miracle," wrote Patricia Wilson in a March 28 letter to the editor in the Savannah Morning News.

"It has been an edification to realize that people so far away care enough to come here to help," said Wilson, who spent her 57th wedding anniversary riding out the storm with her husband and daughter in an attic.

The Edwards want to do more. But their charity is hitting a dry spell for volunteers.

"We've taken several volunteer groups down there and kind of exhausted our recruiting efforts among our churches, friends and e-mail list," Linda said. "Volunteers are becoming increasingly hard to come by."

The Edwards will accompany two weeklong trips to Mississippi in October and are most in need of skilled laborers such as home builders, plumbers and electricians.

But anyone willing to roll up their sleeves and work is encouraged to come.

"If there's a group that wants to go down there, I can go anytime," Linda said.

The cost to volunteer for one week with Pickin' Up the Pieces is $100, which includes meals, lodging at Camp Coastal Outpost and transportation.

Savannah Morning News
8/27/2006
By Dana Clark Felty
(912) 652-0311
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http://old.savannahnow.com/stories/082806/86544178.shtml