Rededication and memorial service marks 55th anniversary of Hurricane Camille
Saturday, August 17th marked the 55th anniversary of Hurricane Camille.
August 17th, 1969 would alter the lives of many on the Gulf Coast as category 5 Hurricane Camille rocked the Mississippi Coast taking 172 lives in its path. Maritime Seafood Industry Museum Executive Director Robin David said, “Honoring our deceased is number one, those that perished in Hurricane Camille 55 years ago. Another is to celebrate the relocation and rededication of the Camille Memorial.”
The former Camille Memorial was established in 2004 and stood on the grounds of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer off Beach Boulevard. The following year, Hurricane Katrina destroyed the church and caused partial loss of the memorial, the memorial now stands on the grounds of the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum. “I just reached out to the city and to the new owner of the property and to a few other people in the community and was able to raise the funds necessary to have it moved. The only part that we did not move here was the eye of the hurricane mosaic piece.”
In 1999, Father Harold Roberts brought the idea of the memorial to the church, he and the Guice family were instrumental in the placing of the original memorial. Roberts says the message of yesterday is never to be forgotten today. “What’s important is the message and the memorial is ‘take storms seriously.’ Remember the victims and don’t become a victim yourself. The longer I live, the more I see, more how casual we quickly become in forgetting the past.”
“The perseverance and the fortitude of all the people on the Mississippi Gulf Coast to get up and fight. Have courage to stay here and make their livelihoods here. Even though we know we have damage coming from a storm when it does come our way.”
