Doggie bed

We survived ....

Santa loves me

Let me catch something....

Reward....

Already .....

no rest for the wicked

After a long and exhausting week in Beaumont Texas, I returned home to catch up a week's worth of chores and emails.

Just as I thought I could finally sleep in, another weather pattern hits the Midwest. Unpack and repack, because Northeast Ohio will be my stomping grounds for the next few days, clearing out downed trees and assisting with homes damaged by the latest storms. 

What a beautiful sight ..

All the flags we rescued from the homes are cleaned, dried, folded and returned to the homes in a flag case.
The one on the left was discovered by my team.

She is testing out my cot ...

Life in the fast lane?

All our fantastic partners

Boots boots everywhere

Almost brought home a puppy

My second deployment to Texas, Beaumont Texas.

Getting for Round 2 in Texas!

Wonder why I was named the top gangster in the state?
Maybe this is my 12th operation, 9th this year.

Batman, hotdog and Roxii

My refrigerator is full

Team Rubicon on ESPN

http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=20781204

Politics aside, taking care of our own

http://abc13.com/politics/speaker-paul-ryan-touring-flood-damaged-neighborhoods/2429630/http%3A%2F%2Fabc13.com%2F2429630%2F

Just in case if you missed it ...

https://www.facebook.com/teamrubicon/photos/a.10150186666540080.424820.10150104725715080/10159364928005080/?type=3&theater

Vicki LeBlanc of Beaumont, TX, salvaged her father's WWII burial flag in the wake of Harvey. 

Soaked in debris and flood water, it was deemed hazardous material by local dry cleaners, but volunteers made the effort to hand-wash, dry, fold, and return the flag to Vicki when they were finished cleaning her home. 

She was moved by the gesture as we welcomed her as part of the TR family.

In case you miss it from Texas

Update about Texas

Yes Texas is on my list of impending destination in the next weeks.

The response team will be on site after the waters recede and we can establish a safe place to house our volunteers, equipment and operating base.

Watch what are we doing now in Texas:

https://twitter.com/ac360/status/903077681163587584

Why don't somebody else take care of Texas?

Well my name is somebody else.

dangerous cross walk

As we wait on Harvey to leave Texas so the volunteers like me can go in to help, I encountered a more dangerous place to be.

The cross walk at Findlay High School!

The students are walking right in front of the cars without even stopping to check if the cars have stopped. Plus the crossing guard dared to fault me?

Let's get this right, I am driving, halfway past the cross walk, the kid walks onto the road and I may be at fault? He even took a picture of my car! WTF

As my passenger said, "you were already past him when he started crossing the road."

I am not sure why the students are walking away from school in the morning anyway?

Please for sanity sake, teach these kids to cross the road safely.

My daily loot

What a ruff life

Today's loot from the garden

Don't break the new toy!

I am cute

New Project

A lot of steps

Service

200th operation for Team Rubicon, yes I am considering going into hostile Michigan to give them a hand. 

The poignancy lies that this operation will span over independence day in a county called Midland. 

Will spending time away from my home town on July 4th dilute the meaning of this day? I do not think so. This country was built on the blood sweat and tears of many to gain our independence and many more continue to sacrifice for our Freedom. The Freedom to celebrate and complain in what ever way about our country. In some sense, volunteers who give up their holidays with their families to help others should be applauded not chastised. 

When I spent Easter Sunday in Center, KY instead of my home church, there were some finger wagings at me for this "blasphemy". Here was my slam dunk reply, "I didn't know that we cannot  serve others in need on certain holidays."

The garden is blooming beautifully

The garden is blooming beautifully

Bravo

The birth of Team Rubicon from our founder

​From the scratch: http://www.fromscratchradio.com/show/jake-wood

Crazy good turns: http://crazygoodturns.org/episodes/team-rubicon/

How 2 veterans rewrote the playbook on disaster response, now adapted for domestic respond. 

This should explain why I do what I need to do, inaction is not action.

Wierd s%$t

So this is what happens when you are alone at home, cold and hungry. You whip up crazy concoctions from leftovers, gnocchi, chicken, beef, rice in cumin based soup.
Actually, *slurp, pretty good.

Set your DVR or just watch it

On Saturday, April 22, Team Rubicon will be featured on an episode of NBC's GIVE, which introduces viewers to the world of philanthropy through the stories of small charities making a big impact.

https://teamrubiconusa.org/actor-wilmer-valderrama-to-introduce-team-rubicon-on-nbcs-give/

How I spent my Easter weekend

http://www.wbko.com/content/news/Volunteers-help-piece-community-back-together-a-week-after-tornadoes-touched-down-419541673.html

Can you find me

https://teamrubiconusa.org/i-am-a-greyshirt/

Why I do what I do

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=H_b5lRebi3k

Yeap it is winter

Humbled

Yes I was there.

errrr

New Orleans bound

I finally received my dispatch information, deploying to provide much needed aid to those ravaged by the tornadoes.

What's missing

His poofy pom-pom-mohawk was shaved down. Watch out we bought our own dog shaver. This dog had 2 hair cuts in 1 week.

Slight changes

Before....

Slight changes

After....

WTF

Chicken paws?

Chef sample A

Jungle Jim.
The best part this is all mine!

2017 is getting a kick start

https://teamrubiconusa.org/supporting-the-south-in-the-wake-of-severe-weather/?utm_source=home%20page&utm_campaign=Jan%202017%20Tornadoes%20in%20the%20South&utm_content=Home%20Slider

Team Rubicon is getting a kick start for the year, 4 responses under our belts, 3 current operations and monitoring a few zones more in the east.

Please look at how these communities are affected by the latest disasters, reach out to help either by volunteering yourself or volunteer others (aka voluntold).

Regardless of what party sits in Washington DC, it is up to the locals who are first on the scene to rebuild and regain their communities.

I have been fortunate to fall within the 450 mile radius for 3 major operations in 2016, Nicholas County WV, South Bend IN and Gatlinburg TN. 

No one ever built a wall to divide the states, instead everyone from different corners of this country should up to help each of these towns regain some sense of normalcy and rebuild their lives.

I hope 2017 will be a year for more to serve and regain what was lost - HEART.