Local Family Ready to Help New Orleans Relatives Again

A local family has many reasons to keep an eye on Tropical Storm Gustav. Shelia Ross and her father still have family members back in their native New Orleans. Many of those relatives sought shelter at Ross' West Lantana home after Hurricane Katrina. Ross is ready to help again.

Just as Katrina's grim anniversary approaches, Gustav appears headed for some of the same areas Katrina devastated three years ago.  Shelia Ross is already on the phone, talking with family in New Orleans. "What are you doing? Are you coming? Do I need to make arrangements?" says Ross mimicking her conversations.

Three years ago with her family holed up a Gulf Coast shelter, Ross extended an invitation to come and stay with her. They took her up.

CBS 12's cameras visited Ross' four bedroom home. A total of 32 people occupied Ross' four-bedroom home for more than a week.

"It was crowded," says Ross. "You have your disagreements. You have your agreements. But you're just thankful to God that everybody was alive."

Ross' employer, the Palm Beach County School District, along with local churches and agencies, helped Ross' family members find temporary places to stay here in the area. With so many family members in town when Thanksgiving rolled around that year, Ross opened up her cheerleading school and its gymnasium for a giant feast.

By now almost all of Ross' family have returned to New Orleans. However her father and a brother decided to remain in our area.

"I can't sleep at night thinking about it," say Ross' father Ronald Wilson, referring to the possibility of Gustav slamming New Orleans. Wilson says he's telling his relatives to leave early. "You know what damage it can do," says Wilson. "you been in it already. Leave."

Ross explains repairs on her mother's and brother's homes in New Orleans were only recently completed. Work is still under way on her sister's house. Ross says it will be hard for them to leave.

Is she really ready to open her home to such a crowd again? Ross replies, "Yeah of course, it's always open."