PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 9, 2008

FRIENDS OF GRAND ISLE ANNOUNCES FUND RAISING EFFORT TO AID THE PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES OF GRAND ISLE, LOUISIANA

Contact:  Robert Stewart (337) 280-0052; bob_stewart@bellsouth.net

In the wake of Hurricane Gustav, the Friends of Grand Isle announces it is creating a Hurricane Disaster Relief Fund to help the people and businesses of Grand Isle, Louisiana. 

Hurricane Gustav has had a devastating effect on the island and the people that live and work there.  Indeed Grand Isle is one of the most severely impacted of all towns along the Louisiana gulf coast.  A tidal surge ranging up to 2 to 8 feet of salt water covered most of the island.  Winds gusting to 120 mph created waves.  Power poles are leaning at a 30 or 45 degree angle and many were snapped.  Many power lines were downed resulting in a tangled mess.  There was damage to hundreds of homes that were affected by the tidal surge and winds.  The levee protecting the island from the Gulf of Mexico was breached in many places.  Sand from the near shore and beach was deposited across the island, particularly on the western half of the island and in some places is 2 to 4 feet thick on Highway 1 that runs the length of Grand Isle.  Homes are without power and many are without water.   Indeed, it appears that power may not be fully restored on the island for some months.

Some homes have collapsed from the water and wind, some have lost their roofs entirely, and many, many have roof damage.   Windows have broken from flying debris resulting in water damage to interiors.  To see photos of the damages on the island please go to our web site at www.friendsofgrandisle.com.

 Friends of Grand Isle or FOGI was created after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to assist Grand Isle recover from hurricanes.  FOGI is a charitable 501(c)(3), tax free, not-for-profit organization, operated to: 

• Support and aid residents and small business owners of Grand Isle, Louisiana who have been victims of severe storms

After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, FOGI received over $350,000 from generous private contributors, and distributed it to Grand Isle businesses and people in need.  Prior to Hurricane Gustav FOGI estimated the unmet needs for Hurricane Katrina/Rita repairs and restoration were greater than $5 Million.  After Hurricane Gustav, FOGI created the Grand Isle Hurricane Disaster Relief Fund.

Donations to the Grand Isle Hurricane Disaster Relief Fund will be used for (1) general hurricane recovery, (2) recovery of people that live on the island, (3) recovery and strengthening of infrastructure, and (4) recovery of businesses.

Persons wishing to donate funds to the recovery of Grand Isle can make that donation on-line on the Friends of Grand Isle web site.  Please go to our web site at www.friendsofgrandisle.com and click on “online donations”.  All donations are tax deductible.

GRAND ISLE DESCRIPTION

Grand Isle is a barrier island and is the only inhabited island on Louisiana’s gulf coast.  It is a coastal community, about 8 miles long and 1 mile wide, bordered on the east by Barataria Pass, on the west by Caminada Pass, on the north by Barataria Bay, and on the south by the Gulf of Mexico.  State Highway 1 crosses the only bridge from the mainland onto the island on the western side and ends on the eastern side of the island near the state park.  Grand Isle has about ten miles of public beach that is maintained by the town.  Along the beach and throughout the island are a large number of private "camps" repopulated every summer by owners and vacation renters.  The island’s basic economy revolves around sport fishing, commercial fishing and recreational use of the beaches.  It also supports several large oil and gas companies.

Grand Isle is a small community of about 1500 permanent residents, which often swells to 10-15,000 people during the tourist season.  There are about 200 businesses on the island and an additional 200 businesses that have licenses to work on the island.  The population of Grand Isle also varies seasonally as “camp (“beach house”) owners arrive on the island.  All of these are dependent upon the businesses on the island, including grocer, oil station, automobile repair station, marinas, motels, gift shops, shrimp and oyster shops, restaurants, etc.  These small businesses are the heart of Grand Isle and are important to keep the community alive and vibrant.

The island has about 300,000 visitors a year.  This supports many small businesses that include motels, marinas, restaurants, grocery store, gas stations, and specialized businesses for clothing, supplies, and recreational gear.  Grand Isle hosts a number of “weekend fishing rodeos” during the spring, summer, and fall and during these times the number of people on the island can swell to over 15,000.  The island is also the town of Grand Isle, a community managed by a Town Council and Mayor.  There is a Coast Guard station on the east end of the island.  It also has a 100 acre beach state park (camping, fishing, bird watching, and picnicking), schools, a number of churches, a library, and both a police and fire department.