Laguna should be proud

Wow, what a town!

It is with deep gratitude that we write this letter of thanks to

our many friends and neighbors, our family, co-workers, our church

family at Laguna Presbyterian, the students, teachers and staff at

Top of the World Elementary School and Laguna Beach High School.

We also want to thank the city staffers and the City Council for

their tremendous support; Laguna Relief and Resource Center, the Red

Cross, Charlie Williams and his team and the businesses in town that

gave us generous donations. We are amazed and encouraged by all the

cards we received from people we have never met. We also appreciated

the sensitivity of all the firemen, policemen and city workers during

those first few days when it was hard to comprehend what had just

occurred.

Had this event happened in any other town, we don’t know if our

family would be feeling as strong as we are today. We are receiving

no other help from government, FEMA or our insurance company. The

donations of money, cars, food, clothing are all being put to good

use.

We are also struggling to hold off a mortgage payment on a home

that will be destroyed within days while trying to figure out how to

pay rent and save up to build a new home. Friends and strangers have

stepped up to offer homes for days and weeks at a time so we can try

to untangle the mess without having to pay rent. For this we are

eternally grateful.

There is something wrong with the “system” when a natural disaster

like a landslide strikes and a family is left to pick up the pieces

while other natural disaster victims are taken care of.

But we don’t really want to venture into the politics of this

situation with this letter of thanks because gratitude is the bigger

message here.

We want all of you to know that you have made a difference in our

lives forever. We are more appreciative of all that we have, and the

love and support of all those who surround us. And when and if any of

you falls down, we will be the first to pick you up.

JOHN, DIANE, HALEY AND

LUC STEVENS

1025 Flamingo Road

Laguna Beach