On January 5, 2009, the Cameron Parish Police Jury passed a unanimous resolution to have The Silver Lining Foundation to create and host "The Cameron Recovery Rally." The event will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2009 in front of the Cameron Courthouse...RAIN OR SHINE. 

The following are the benefits and details of the Rally:

Nationwide Awareness:
While Cameron Parish is well-known in Louisiana, it is far from a household name nationwide. Not only does the nation at large not know about Cameron or the immense challenges currently facing the community, few know the significant contributions that Cameron makes to the rest of our country in terms of the amount of energy and seafood that it provides. The Cameron Recovery Rally is a way to create this national awareness and bring the combined national sentiment of America to bear on those who oppose the complete recovery of Cameron, Louisiana.  

Call For Action:
The Cameron Recovery Rally will provide the time and place to put the Parish’s plan of action before the nation to be heard by all.  

Call For Collaboration:
The Cameron Recovery Rally is an opportunity to extend a collaborative hand to the State, FEMA and the federal government at large. It is a venue where these agencies will have the opportunity to publicly come forth with a definitive plan and timeline for achieving Cameron’s full recovery. To the extent that collaboration cannot be obtained, the event will serve as a sounding call for these agencies to step forward immediately with their full assistance.  

A Place To Come Together:
The recent hurricanes have scattered the populous of Cameron across the state. The Cameron Recovery & Revival Rally is a place for the people of Cameron and others who support the Parish’s full recovery to come together and join hands in support of Cameron and its full recovery. 

Focal Point To Direct Collective Energy And Support:
The people of Cameron desperately need a place to direct their energy and support for the Parish’s recovery. The very gathering of the people will create both force and momentum for Cameron’s cause that will last far beyond the Rally itself.  

A Place to Identify Resources Available To Disaster Victims:
The Cameron Recovery Rally will be a place where local, state and federal agencies as well as churches and other not for profits and NGOs can display the services that they have available to disaster victims. It is a perfect opportunity to bring together those who have services to provide and those who are in dire need of assistance.

A Place To Learn About Hurricane Disaster Preparedness
The Cameron Recovery Rally will be a place to learn about how to be best prepared in the event of another hurricane. Resources and information of all sorts will be available free of charge to everyone who attends.

A Day to Have Fun:
The Cameron Recovery Rally will not only be a day focused on recovery efforts, but will also be a day filled with fun activities for the entire family to enjoy, such as live music, cook-offs, children's activities, family activities and more…

Immediate Temporary Disaster Housing Giveaway:
The Silver Lining Foundation will raise funds to purchase and donate travel trailers to lower-Cameron disaster victims. The goal will be to give away at least five travel trailers…hopefully more.  

A Platform To Further The Economic Development Of Cameron:
Compare Cameron, Louisiana to Chrysler and GM for a moment. There are very few private sector entities jumping to do deals with either of them right now. A ‘wait and see if they survive’ attitude is the pervasive sentiment.

Cameron Parish faces a similar challenge. Those who may have looked to do business in the area are hesitant to act before they know that Cameron will be there in the long run. The Cameron Recovery & Revival Rally is a perfect opportunity to introduce prospective businesses to the collective strength and fortitude of Cameron and its people. It is a perfect opportunity to cultivate partnerships that will produce jobs and revenue for the Parish.

Fundraising:
FEMA and the federal government have the authority to cut off funding for current and future disaster recovery projects. Already FEMA has chosen to provide no disaster housing in lower Cameron. Without a large pool of funds for self-sufficiency, Cameron is at the mercy of outside forces. The Cameron Recovery & Revival Rally will provide a platform to attract donations for immediate disaster housing and long-term self-sufficiency from across the country.  

It is well know that Cameron has some influential people and organizations in favor of Cameron’s full recovery. The Rally will allow public figures, movie stars, professional athletes and other deep-pocketed and not-so-deep-pocketed benefactors to step forward with both their hearts and their wallets. In addition to donations collected before and after the Rally, the Rally itself will be a venue for fundraising through sponsors and a voluntary admission price to the event of at $20 per person (for anyone who can't afford it, the option to pay less or nothing at all is available).

It is The Silver Lining Foundation’s goal to partner with a local not-for-profit and direct donated funds for long term self-sufficiency to that partner. The Silver Lining Foundation feels that such donations should be in the hands of the people of Cameron to direct where they see fit. No one can do it better than the folks who are at ground zero, and The Silver Lining Foundation sees no benefit in having itself or any other outside entity directing the utilization of these funds.

Donations collected via The Silver Lining Foundation for The Cameron Recovery & Revival Rally will be categorized into two areas:

1) Self-sufficiency fund for Cameron Parish (to be directed in full to local not for profit partner to be utilized as it sees fit).

2) Funding for the purchase and placement of disaster housing in lower Cameron and for the advancement of permanent change in the way disaster preparedness and implementation is handled nationwide (to be utilized by The Silver Lining Foundation to further these objectives).