REEVES — There’s an old adage that when bad things happen, you’ll always find people doing good.

April and Monique Dunnehoo are doing just that at Camp Pearl.

“When we saw that Camp Pearl might be opening for evacuees, we were like, ‘Yes, here’s our opportunity,’ ” April said.

The sisters-in-law live three miles from the camp, which opened as a transition center for evacuees on Friday. For the past week, the two have helped sort donations at Reeves Fire Department, brought supplies to a Moss Bluff distribution site for evacuees, helped serve meals for the Cajun Navy, and are now delighted to be volunteering at Camp Pearl.

“We knew they were going to need bedding, we knew they were going to need certain things so we gathered them up from the fire department and brought them down to Camp Pearl,” Monique said. “We just jumped on in, started making beds and getting everything ready.”

Monique said their goal is to make the camp feel inviting and like a home away from home for those staying there.

“Each bed has nice sheets on it, blankets donated from the Coushatta Tribe, a bedspread at the foot of the bed, a fresh new towel and washcloth, a track on top of that and even a mint on the pillow. Every room also has a flower arrangement,” Monique said. “We just wanted the kids to be excited because it’s so heartbreaking. Many are here with just the clothes on their back. We wanted them to know we’re here for them, anything they need.”

Monique said Camp Pearl is hosting 54 people, including six children, and 10 pets. There are more families, she said, staying in Kinder hotels with FEMA vouchers who are coming to the camp for hot meals, visitation and to pick from tables upon tables set up with donated toiletries, clothing, baby formula and diapers, shoes, bedding, non-perishable food, bottled water, toys and games.

Monique said the camp’s gymnasium is serving as a central location for donations to be dropped off and for evacuees to pick up necessities.

Evacuees “can come in, pick up a bag and pick and choose whatever it is they need,” Monique said. “We’re going to accommodate them, we’re going to make them feel at home. To us right now, they’re family.”

Monique said most of the families staying at the camp are from the Orange, Texas, area.

“We’re not Red Cross, we’re not FEMA, we’re not getting government assistance, it’s all just churches doing this and the whole community,” April said.

Churches from Moss Bluff, Ragley, Kinder, Starks and Lake Charles have pulled their resources to help, she said.

{{tncms-inline alignment=”center” content=”<p><em>“We’re opening our doors to anybody who needs help. They’re going to get three meals a day, they’re going to be taken care of. If we don’t have it here, I promise you we will get it.” </em></p> <p style="text-align: right;">Monique Dunnehoo, volunteer at Camp Pearl</p>” id=”d44b3ea5-2708-4550-9498-55a820e78598″ style-type=”quote” title=”Pull Quote” type=”relcontent”}}

April said what the camp really is in need of is people’s time.

“Right now we’re just trying to organize an adopt a day for people to bring your church, your Sunday school group, your bingo group, your Mardi Gras krewe and provide a hot meal for those here at Camp Pearl,” April said. “We had a group come from New Orleans and make more than 3,000 hot meals of beans and rice and jambalaya and we sent 2,000 to the Mauriceville-Starks area and 200 to hotels.”

“We need Boy Scouts, youth groups, whoever just to come in and maybe set up some games and give the kids here something to do,” Monique added.

For more information or to volunteer, call 666-2443 or 513-6181.

“We’re opening our doors to anybody who needs help. They’re going to get three meals a day, they’re going to be taken care of. If we don’t have it here, I promise you we will get it.” 

Monique Dunnehoo, volunteer at Camp Pearl

South Beauregard High School student Lucy Stark volunteers at Camp Pearl, folding donated women’s clothing for evacuees of Hurricane Harvey. For more information or to volunteer, call 666-2443 or 513-6181. (Crystal Stevenson/American Press)

For more information or to volunteer, call 666-2443 or 513-6181. (Crystal Stevenson)