Waveland, MS, a town of 7,100 people has virtually no intact local infrastructure. The city's historic downtown, with its stately columned structures dating to 1888, is gone -- city hall, the fire department, the police department, the post office, restaurants, beachfront condos, bungalows and Victorian homes. There are, in fact, no buildings left in Waveland -- only concrete slabs.

Shortly after Katrina hit Waveland, the Horry County League of Cities and the local chambers "adopted" the community to help it get back on its feet. The League's latest project is to help the children of Waveland have as much of a normal Christmas as possible. Joel Davis, North Myrtle Beach Assistant City Manager, says, "There are 76 families with a total of 160 children ranging in ages from 6 months to 15 years of age that need our help."

Continuing, Davis said, "Anyone can make a contribution at any Crescent Bank location in Horry County. Just go to any of these banking locations and tell the personnel that you would like to make a contribution to the Horry County Katrina Disaster Relief Fund.

"Lets all work together to help these children have a great Christmas. They lost everything and they need us."

Mayor Marilyn Hatley of North Myrtle Beach and Mayor Roy Hyman of Surfside Beach are managers of the funds.

A delegation plans to leave for Waveland around the 13th or 14th of December to deliver the toys to the families.


For more information contact Davis at 843-280-5507.