By Angela Paradiso

Staff Writer

Everyone saw the devastation that Hurricane Katrina caused to New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast. But few residents of Wayland know it like the Kaplinsky family does. Mark, Barbara, and David Kaplinsky are a few of the many evacuees that relocated to the Grand Rapids area after the mayor of New Orleans called for a voluntary evacuation August 27.

The Kaplinsky’s are related to the Wagenvelt’s and the Zyskowski’s that live in the Wayland area. The Kaplinsky’s are now renting a home on Gun Lake.

Their 14 year old son, David, is now attending WHS as a freshman. David said that WHS is a lot like the high school he went to back home. Besides the fact that he went to a public magnet school, a special school you have to test into, it’s about the same size. Because David had to test into the school he was going to, he feels that it was a waste of time taking the tests because he only attended school there for a week, and then they had to evacuate.

With all of this water taking over New Orleans, the Kaplinsky’s and many other families are still not sure when, or even if they will be returning home. “I honestly don’t know if we will go back. I would like to but if none of my friends come back there’s no point,” said David. He also said that it’s hard to get a hold of his friends, many of whom went to Houston, where they ended up having to evacuate again. The Kaplinsky family however left New Orleans before the storm hit, and got a hotel in Alabama to wait it out.

David feels that New Orleans was getting a lot of help fixing the damage from Katrina, until Hurricane Rita hit and slowed them down. David says he hopes for the best for everyone living on the Gulf Coast and those living in the poverty caused by it.