Jim Ramstad: “the Minnesota spirit is alive and well. The Minnesota spirit of compassion and help for people in need has moved…”

“the Minnesota spirit is alive and well. The Minnesota spirit of compassion and help for people in need has moved countless Minnesotans to step forward to provide relief for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. My district office has literally been overwhelmed with calls from people offering housing, food, clothing, health care, labor, and monetary assistance. Camp Ripley, located in northern Minnesota, is presently welcoming over 3,000 survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Other Minnesota communities are similarly opening their doors. In our suburban communities, churches and synagogues, civic and service clubs, school groups, the business community and numerous other organizations have answered the call to help disaster survivors. The Minnesota Vikings football team collected 70,000 pounds of clothing, toiletries, and other supplies for Katrina's survivors. As head coach Mike Tice said, this was an example of Americans helping Americans. In our Lake Minnetonka community, Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners, representing 21 area churches, has a long history of helping people in need. Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners is jump- starting its annual housing fund drive to aid the housing needs of Hurricane Katrina survivors. I will be home this coming Saturday to join Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners in kicking off a drive to raise $1.5 million for people in the gulf States who are so devastated by Hurricane Katrina.…”