By Roger Cowles
For the Port Arthur News

Hundreds of cots were lined up in columns and rows, covered with blankets and pillows. They gave a soft, fluffy look to the hardwood floor in the gym at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, like someone was ready for a giant slumber party.

But it was no party for the area residents who have taken shelter in the gym, reportedly the last shelter to remain open in Port Arthur. They have come from all parts of the Triangle in the aftermath of the flooding created by Hurricane Harvey’s 40 to 50 inches of rainfall and the American Red Cross is accepting anyone who needs a place to stay.

James Martin lives in Columbus, Ohio, but he is now spending his days as a supervisor at the shelter in Port Arthur.

“It’s been in operation almost two weeks now. We were a two-shelter site so we have 208 total (residents) and it fluctuates,” he said. “We are still accepting. We usually get about five or 10 per night.”

Not many of the people being housed at the shelter remained inside the gym during the sunny day Friday. One group was sitting at a table in a covered breezeway near the gym door, telling each other stories of their experiences. A few others were walking on the sidewalk in front of the middle school. Many had gone to the Memorial Stadium parking lot across the football field from the gym to access the meals and services being offered there.

Brenson Lindsey was rescued in Orange and caught the shuttle to the shelter in Port Arthur. It served his needs and now he’s ready to move on.
“I have a CDL (commercial driver license),” he said. He has already been hired and was preparing Friday to leave the shelter.

He said in addition to offering a place to sleep the Red Cross provided food, snacks, water, Gatorade and other necessities.

“Three meals a day and there’s the Verizon place and computers, charging your phone. It’s fairly nice. It’s not really too bad,” he said. At night when it’s lights out everyone settles down, he said.

Martin said that in addition to food and showers, “we just recently got a laundry set up for them to do their laundry. We guide them to where they can get services, we have unemployment services here, City transportation has come by  to take them to get prescriptions. They’re happy that we are here.

He said he has heard many of the personal stories of what the survivors have gone through.

“You know, wading through water, waiting in their house for four, five or six days waiting to be rescued,” he said.

Donna Wilde Thompson lives in Beaumont but said she has done construction work in Port Arthur at times.

“I almost got killed in that stuff (the water),” she said. “There were several things that were happening. I was in the water and then my things got stolen, checks, debit cards. I lost everything.”

She was out on a grassy area enjoying the afternoon sun on Friday.
“The people has been really awesome and really a blessing, I came from a hospital in a rescue,” she said. She has been in the shelter about a week, although it’s hard to keep up with the days.

“It’s like my whole body shut down; I’m still not over it,” she said.