La. musician returns favor to Ohio victims

Northern Ohio suffered widespread flooding nearly a month ago.

LIMA, Ohio (AP) — Charles Elam never forgot the people from northwest Ohio who helped rebuild his home in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

So when the musician known as “Chucky C” heard about the devastating flooding here last month, he decided to return the favor.

He’s spending the week playing with his band at schools, churches and other places while sharing stories about how the hurricane changed his life.

Elam made a special connection with a group that traveled to New Orleans to help after Katrina and became known as “The Ohio Sheetrockers.” The group has made several trips to New Orleans to help clean out and rebuild homes.

During one of those trips, Elam became friends with Rob Brown, of Arlington, when his family worked on Elam’s duplex. When they returned to Ohio, they called Elam to see how he was doing.

“He said, ‘I can’t believe you’re calling me,’” Brown said.

Elam said he knows what it’s like to need help after a disaster hits.

“It was very special to have them come into our lives and help out,” he said. “The situation was such a monumental event, we couldn’t have done it all ourselves. When we started seeing the flooding in this area, we had to come.”

Widespread flooding

Heavy rains brought widespread flooding across northern Ohio nearly a month ago. In some towns, businesses were heavily damaged and residents had to be rescued by boat.

It was the worst flooding in some areas in close to a century.

Elam called Brown right away and promised to come to Ohio. He told them to “let everyone know the New Orleans Sheetrockers are on their way.”

Elam and his band, Clearly Blue, played for pupils at Lima North Middle School on Thursday.

Between songs, he took questions and talked to the children about music and how the hurricane affected New Orleans musicians.

Elam was playing in Brazil when Katrina hit. He lost his home and his wife died from a heart attack a few weeks after the storm.

He also lost most of the many instruments he plays. Water that reached his attic destroyed keyboards, saxophones, flutes and clarinets. His original music was destroyed too.

Finding work still is not easy, but it is starting to get better, he told the pupils.