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What the world doesn't seem to know is that help from the outside -- FEMA, state sources...even the insurance companies who sold policies to property owners --- is in total slow motion. In fact, so slow that I'm one of those who's wondering if it hasn't just stopped. It is axiomatic that towns that slip on the banana peel of natural disaster suffer tremendous loss, pain and exasperation. No matter the size of their savings, the amount of insurance, the number of friends willing to pitch in and help, without dedicated and experienced focus from America, recovery won't happen. That's where Galveston is today, and that FEMA, the State of Texas and the insurance companies have chosen not to respond responsibility is a total black eye on our society as a nation. One of Galveston's legendary and wealthy families began its residency just after the Civil War when young Col. William L. Moody brought his family there to enter the cotton exporting business. His son, W.L. Moody, Jr. joined him when he grew up, and the family branched out into banking and life insurance. A chain of hotels came in there as well. From all of this came a huge foundation -- the Moody Foundation -- that is worth far in excess of $1 Billion, and its directive is that the money be spent for the benefit of "the people of Texas." The heirs have done just that, with an overwhelming percentage being spent for "the people of GALVESTON, Texas." Currently the foundation and all of the Moody holdings are overseen by the Colonel's grandson, Robert Moody. His friends call him "Bobby." I call him Mr. Moody. He's about 72 or so and he married the very glamorous Ann McLeod, with whom I grew up. I'm not sure the reason, but Mr. Moody is constantly being beat on by those who think he is not altruistic, which of course, is an untrue and idiotic assessment of him. Here's one recent gesture on his part that shores up my side, and makes his critics' side even more questionable than it was before. Last weekend, the fabulous attraction, Moody Gardens, staged a concert of the legendary "Beach Boys. About 6,000 attended, and a large portion of the proceeds were donated to the Galveston chapters of the United Way, American Red Cross, and various food banks. We're talking about tens of thousands of dollars. Interestingly, the event was hosted by former "Trading Spaces" hostess, Alex McLeod, who is Mr. Moody's niece. This coming week, Moody Gardens, even though it, too, sustained millions in hurricane damage, will install its famous "Festival of Lights," celebrating the Christmas Season. Here's what Mr. Moody said. "I feel it is critical at this time in the island's history for the show to go on. The Moody family is here to stay. Just as we did during the Great Depression residents can be assured that Moody Gardens, American National Insurance Co. and Moody National Bank will remain beacons of light and hope for the residents of Galveston." Following his great-grandfather, grandfather and father's tradition of business, not one soul has been laid off, not one pay check missed by the thousands that are employed on the Island by the various Moody businesses. As Mr. Moody inferred, that tradition began with the Great Depression and has continued throughout the years. What's my point? The Moody Family is there for Galvestonians when others who should be simply aren't.
BILL CHERRY, REALTORS DALLAS Our 44th Year Selling America 214 503-8563 800 314-7110
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THE BEACH BOYS HIT GALVESTON -- HURRICANE IKE RECOVERY
The world is aware that Galveston Island suffered extreme damage when Hurricane Ike came through in early September. This disaster for the Island is only exceeded by the famous 1900 Storm that everyone has heard about, and more recently read about in the book Isaac's Storm. 
17 comments • BILL CHERRY • November 14 2008 08:09AMComments
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Bill C,
Another good post.
Bill
Bill - I always enjoy your well written blogs and how you are able to put down in print what most of always wish we could. It is unfortunate this has happened to the fine folks that live in that beautiful Galveston Island area. Is it the state of the economy or someone just not doing their job.
Maybe a petition to the governor would spur some activity to get things rolling. I did hear the other day that some people from Galveston are still living here in the San Antonio area because they have nowhere to live or work if they return to the island.
Thank you for the history of The Moody family.
Thanks for your comments, Carl & Ceil. One of my friends is a brilliant scientist AND a brilliant business man. He and I grew up in Galveston about a half block apart. He has lived in the north since he grew up.
He went to visit his sister after the hurricane, and he was so appalledthat he investigated the whole thing, and wrote the best piece I have seen on it. His sister sent me a copy, but she made me swear that I wouldn't share it with others.
If he is correct, and I am sure he is, the state, FEMA and the federal government as a whole, along with the property insurance companies, have pretty much ignored their God-bound duty. Consequently, there is a huge amount of suffering going on in Galveston County.
Big Bill
Thanks for taking the time to read about the Beach Boys and the Moody contributions to the recovery of the Island.
Bill
Bill hopefully other groups like the Beach Boys will step up and have some fund raising events to help with the island recovery. I see here in S.A. this morning they are having a 26 mile run called Rock n Roll Run that has 30,000 participants and raising millions of dollars, something like that would be a shot in the arm.
Galveston is such a beautiful place; hope it comes back better then before (sooner then later) would be acceptable and first preference. - Ceil
I am glad to hear that despite the significant damage Moody Gardens will still hold its' festival of lights celebration. All of those people still living in tents in Galveston deserve some light in their times of hardship.
I grew up in Houston and am glad to know there are still those great Americans who are helping restore Galveston and her surroundings. Let not your hearts be troubled!
Wish I would have known about the concert, would have loved to see the Beach Boys and helped raise money for Galveston. I come from 5 generations of Galvestonians and hate to see the island torn up this way. The goverment is paralized and FEMA is not doing the job they should be.
Sabrina, Crystal, and Jeff and Lisa --
Thanks so much for your memories and your sympathies. The town and its people surely need it. It's also interesting that Neil Diamond gave a concert in Dallas a couple of weeks ago. He donated the total of the t-shirt sales at the concert to the Galveston relief. As you can imagine, it was a lot of money.
Then he matched it.
Your post is now featured on The Texas Real estate group. Hurricane Ike had a huge impact on our entire area but way huge in Galveston. I'm glad to hear that some outside sources are coming in to help also; since those who should be aren't.
That's great, Marchsel! Thanks for posting it there.
No one can even begin to imagine how lacking the help has been for Isle residents. It makes me want to up-chug....especially the lack of support from FEMA AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, RICK PERRY & HIS GROUP....YOU REMEMBER HIM, OUR GOVERNOR.
Bill
As tragic as this storm was and the results continue to be, when did it become seemingly mandatory for Federal Tax Dollars (our money) to make it all better. I know that valid insurance policies are different but there are very few guarantees on this planet and many of those aren't very pleasant.
Thanks for posting your comment, although I don't agree with you. If a bomb hit the Lake Travis area tomorrow, and you and your neighbors survived but were not only put out of business but had no place to live, possibly you'd see this different.y than you do.
In America since anyone can slip on the bananna peel, we tend to 1) thank God it wasn't our turn and 2) try to help that person recover.
Bill, I was attempting to comment on the more Macro level of Government Services, Bailouts, Handouts etc and less on the specific merits of disaster relief. I don't believe that any society can continue to function, let alone grow once the majority of the populous obtains an entitlement attitude. The tax burden simply becomes too great when everyone says ... The Government should do something ... What happened to people 150 years ago when disaster struck? I think other people came around to help out their brother but there was not an entitlement attitude that has become so pervasive today.
Also, it would be very duplicitous of me to think differently if it happened in my town. I just believe Government should be smaller and spend less whether it is in my neighborhood or yours.
Bryan,
When the 1900 Storm hit and recovery began, the Federal government did contribute to the recovery including part of the investment needed to build the seawall. And the average Joe on the street in the Bronks was concerned and did what he could to help.
Not this time. Let me tell you what it's been like:
Unless it has happened recently, the governor of The Great State of Texas has apparently not shown his face on the island to see the damage. Can you imagine? Four months have passed.
The University of Texas Medical Branch hadn't bothered to carry enough insurance on their buildings, so they are seriously reducing the size of the facilities and staff...hundreds have already been let go, including some of the most prominent physicians/research doctors in the WORLD. The legislature is ignoring this, allowing the board of regents to make these important decisions. Probably two billion dollars worth of buildings --- bought with taxpayer money -- will either be boarded up or only partially used. (That 2 billion is my guess..it may be more or less.)
The federal government has a number of housing projects that, in their infinite wisdom, they built at sea level...and the reason they did that is because the federal government made sure that it doesn't have to follow the flood plain rules. They flood everytime we have a heavy rain and have since I was a little boy. I'm 68 years old.
Well, those poor people went "home" to see all of their possessions gone. Nothing. And the buildings are just this side of being a total loss. The government said, "Sorry, you'll have to live somewhere else, and by the way, we can't give you any financial assistance since you no longer have a mailing address." Frankly, as I write this, it's all I can do to keep from crying.
Bill Clinton and George Herbert Walker Bush went to see. They were the only bright lights the city got.
I don't believe in big government either. However, in this case, most of the problem was actually CAUSED by the federal and state government and their rules that they insisted the city of Galveston follow, even when anyone with a semester of high school science and who had lived around the water for at least six months KNEW their requirements were idiotic.
Now they are meddling in the recovery. Not helping, mind you, but doing everything possible to delay it. So will Galveston recover? I don't know. Many, many of my friends...people I grew up with and whose families had been Galvestonians for as many as four generations, packed up what they could salvage and have moved off of the island, never to return.
And wanna know what's amusing? They were, for the most part, EMPLOYERS and professional people. The very ones the island can't afford to lose.
WHY CAN`T THE MAYOR OF GALVESTON AND THE GOVERNOR OF TEXAS GET AN INFINITESIMAL PART OF THE STIMULUS PACKAGE??
Mike, I don't know.