[StBernard] Meatball Celebrates Saints Wins

[Westley Annis]

Fans in FEMA trailers welcome respite from stress
Claire Taylor 
ctaylor at theadvertiser.com 

Even in the confines of a FEMA trailer, there's room to celebrate the
Saints.
That's the word from several Louisiana residents who still are living in
Federal Emergency Management Agency trailers or repairing homes damaged by
hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.

As of Tuesday, 62,524 FEMA trailers were still occupied in Louisiana - from
Cameron Parish to New Orleans - by victims of Rita and Katrina. 

"After the problems we've had, we need some fun," said Cyndi Guidry of
Erath, who is living with her three children in a FEMA trailer in Abbeville.
Hers is among 946 FEMA trailers in Vermilion Parish as of Tuesday, said
Rachel Rodi, FEMA spokesperson.

Sunday, when the Saints play the Chicago Bears for the NFC conference
championship and a shot at the Super Bowl, Guidry's family will cook gumbo
and watch the game at her father's house in Sunset.

"We're proud of the Saints, proud of them hopefully making it to the Super
Bowl for the first time," she said.

Ray Bourque, a Bayou Tigre shrimper in Vermilion Parish, hopes to move into
his new mobile home in the next week or two. He and his wife, Darlene, spent
months living on their shrimp boat after Rita destroyed their home.

The Saints are a bright spot for Bourque and all of Louisiana, he said.

"The way I figure, any time we've got a glimmer of sunlight in Louisiana,
it's a good thing," he said. "And I think the Saints winning is a very good
thing. It's a long time coming."

This is the first time in the Saints' 40-year history that the team is
playing for the NFC Championship and a chance at the Super Bowl.

In Cameron Parish, 830 FEMA trailers house residents, including Earl and
Michaeil Booth of Grand Chenier. The couple hopes to move out of their FEMA
trailer by the end of January and into their rebuilt home.

They'll cook up a gumbo and watch Sunday's game on a 19-inch television set
with a few relatives. They'd rather be home watching on a bigger TV, but
they're making the best of an imperfect situation.

"We need something to celebrate," Michaeil Booth said. "We cannot sit in our
FEMA trailers and be gloomy the whole time."

Her husband said it's a good thing that's needed in Louisiana.

"It gives people over there and over here a big lift to see the Saints go
where they've never been before," Earl Booth said. "It makes me feel good."

Katrina swamped Jack Serigne's home in Chalmette, near New Orleans. He
gutted the house, but no one else in the neighborhood has returned, so
Serigne bought a house in Harahan in the meantime. He teaches high school,
then helps his father repair his home a few hours every day.

Despite the losses he's suffered, Serigne still had season tickets to the
Saints and attended all home games this season.

The celebration surrounding the Saints is needed to relieve the stress of
recovery, he said.

"Do you want to be down in the dumps 24/7?" he asked. "We take a little time
to celebrate, then tomorrow we'll be back working on our houses."