For the individuals recently relocated from Houston and New Orleans after the Hurricane Katrina disaster, gratitude flourished toward their new homes and the hospitality they received in Madison.
The evacuees were relocated to Allied Drive in a massive volunteer effort orchestrated by Madison citizens.
The Hurricane Relief Project, headed by Dane County social worker Rita Adair, gathered volunteers, resources and funds for the relocation of evacuees in Houston to the Allied Drive neighborhood.
Thirteen individuals-a family of five, a woman and her two adult daughters, and five men-were moved to an apartment complex in Madison. Two more families arrived on Sunday, and project coordinators anticipate many more to arrive in the near future.
According to Adair, many have been eager to help the victims of the hurricane. The relief project is an all-citizen group started by Adair. A vacant building with 20 apartment units was donated to the effort to house the evacuees.
Over 400 volunteers showed up to clean and remodel the apartments-a task that took less than two days to complete.
The evacuees expressed tremendous gratitude for the hospitality received.
\So far they love it,"" said Adair of the new Madison residents. ""They're overwhelmed with the hospitality, and overwhelmed with their housing.""
Many have already found jobs in Madison, and the majority of the group has talked about making Madison a new permanent home.
Many Allied Drive residents are appreciative of the work done towards the rehabilitation of the neighborhood, District 8 County Board Supervisor Robert Fyrst said.
""This is the first time in several years that I have felt like something is moving forward, something is being done that is good for the area,"" Fyrst said. ""We're seeing an effective change in Allied Drive that is moving it forward.\
