As emergency shelters go, the Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego
might get a five-star rating, with yoga and acupuncture for
stressed-out adults, clowns and candy for bored kids and even
Kosher meals.
The stadium, best known as home to the National Football League's
San Diego Chargers, was converted this week into an emergency
evacuation center accommodating 10,000 people forced from their
homes by wildfires scorching the county.
City and state officials and legions of volunteers running the
center did their best to provide not only for evacuees' basic needs
but also lifestyle perks designed to make the Golden State's
displaced denizens feel more at home.
Food and water were in ample supply, with tables lining the
stadium's main concourse laden with cold cuts, breads, condiments,
cookies, fruit and coffee.
Dinner included roast beef, fresh vegetables, salad and
rice.
Jewish evacuees were able to abide by their dietary restrictions by
following a sign advertising Kosher food.
"You hear all the horror stories from Hurricane Katrina, but it's
nothing like that here," said Linda Leonik, 22, who was evacuated
with her husband and their six-month-old twins from the upscale
community of Rancho Bernardo.
"We have all the resources we need. I'm so surprised how well
people pulled together for this."
The almost festive mood was a far cry from the overcrowded, squalid
conditions, despair and fear of violence inside the New Orleans
Superdome following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, where evacuees spent
several days without adequate food, water or sanitation.
While some of New Orleans' poorest residents sought shelter at the
Superdome, many of the evacuees taking up residence at Qualcomm
came from affluent suburbs of San Diego.
Clowns made balloon animals for youngsters, people dressed as Star Wars troopers gave out candy, a ventriloquist performed with puppets and volunteers painted children's faces.
Other children spent time in a play area stocked with toys
crayons and coloring books.
Acupuncturists set up a makeshift clinic, and signs guided stressed
evacuees to yoga and meditation sessions offered elsewhere in the
stadium.
Crisis counseling and massage therapy also were made
available.
Organizers did their best to keep evacuees plugged in
electronically, with TV monitors put up throughout the facility and
a cell-phone charging station on the concourse.
The stadium was so well stocked by nightfall on Tuesday that San
Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders issued a statement saying individual
donations were no longer necessary.
"There's been such an overwhelming response from the community.
There are people here in immediate need and there are people here
to give. I'm proud of my city," said Tony Greco, a San Diego native
and sergeant in the US military.
