Some South Coast residents know Matt Hall. He's a co-owner of the Port Orford News. He lived in Port Orford for two and half years, serving as the weekly paper's editor. He left in August 2004, and now works for a food company, North Slope Catering LLC, that caters to firefighters throughout the Northwest during the summer months. But still, the 48-year-old is a journalist.

Hall and his crew members in Pendleton left Oregon on Sept. 1 headed south to help in the relief response to hurricane Katrina. On Tuesday, Sept. 6, he arrived in St. Gabriel, La., where they set up to feed teams of doctors, pathologists and morticians at a morgue.

Thursday, Sept. 8

It's a very interesting situation. It's so serious on my end. I am absolutely stunned to the rigidity (on the release of information).

The work that I am a part of ,that my team is a part of, is so sensitive and still in progress. It has been requested that no information be given out until further notice. This has been the official notification of Federal Emergency Management Administration, or FEMA, to all who are here in St. Gabriel.

Sunday, Sept. 11

It's 9 p.m. Central Time. I walk among heroes here every day. Although I cannot divulge the mission of the people here, it's my privilege to feed them and serve them and listen to them. Many served the United States in Thailand on the tsunami and many served the United States in the Sept. 11 twin towers tragedy. They worked tirelessly then and they work tirelessly now.

This evening, under a tent in a field in the dark, they al were sitting about, eating ice cream and watching a football game. Then the football game was turned off and one of their members behind the tent began to play the bagpipes softly at first and then with gathering strength.

Everybody stopped and watched. They all new what it was about. He slowly stepped forward into the light. The tears that none of them were shedding or had shed came to.

He played a song and there was a moment of silence and then a minister stepped forward. He spoke about service, heroes and family, and the sacrifice they all were offering. He talked about the sacrifices of the 9/11 victims and the Katrina victims. He talked about grief. Then, a member stepped forward and she sang Amazing Grace, even though a field is no place for a chapel.

I can tell you that I have encountered officials here who have lost families and friends and still wonder about their relatives and friends. They seem to take it so matter of factly every day. It leaves me humbled.