Katrina Relief in Austin

You want a silver lining? How about an outpouring of love and kindness like this town has never seen? You want light at the end of the tunnel? How about an influx of grateful new friends, injecting our town with doses of New Orleans spunk and warmth from the Gulf Coast?

We have a chance, Austin. A chance to redeem the scars of years of separate cities, to erase the boundary between Eastside and West, to embrace new neighbors and assure them that Austin is home ... and that we will continue to be a place brimming with Texas-friendly and helping hands, long after the calls for volunteers and donations fade.

This past weekend, Austin leapt into action and opened her arms. The trauma of Hurricane Katrina is now woven into our social fabric. Like immigrants past, our new neighbors will define who we are as our town begins to reflect the area that delivered them. Austin can use a little beach culture, a little more (if you'll pardon the cliché) laissez les bons temps rouler. And on the flip side, Austin has a heart the size of Texas. But we don't have to tell you that. You showed us this weekend. On to the business (and resources) at hand.