Dierdre Price gives a hug and kiss to her son David Price, 7, yesterday morning as he opens his Christmas presents. Price and her extended family moved to the area after evacuating their homes in Slidell, La. View More Images from this story Visit the Photo Place

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A home for the holidays

Family flees Katrina, makes home in Spotsylvania

Date published: 12/26/2005

By EDIE GROSS

For nearly a half-hour, 11 of Barbara Marshall's grandchildren exhibited astonishing restraint, goofing with one another in her Spotsylvania living room but steering clear of the wall of gifts clearly meant for them.

Then Jessica Robinson, 11, broke the ice.

"I've been having my eyes on this one right here," she said, grabbing a rectangular package and peeling the paper back to reveal a Hello Kitty CD player.

With that, the wrapping was flying and out popped sweaters, video games, purses and bedroom sets. Beneath a crush of boxes and tissue paper, Shaniqua Robinson, 14, giggled.

"I can't breathe," she cried.

Christmas for Marshall's extended family had officially begun.

Four months ago, things didn't seem so bright.

Marshall, 57, two of her daughters and eight of her grandchildren fled their homes in Louisiana only a day before Hurricane Katrina destroyed everything they owned.

A week later, they staggered into daughter Dawn Price's apartment in Fredericksburg with little more than the clothes on their backs.

Since then, generous donors have provided the family with a house, car and everyday items like silverware, towels and sheets.

Most importantly, Marshall said, the community has begun to feel like home.

"We didn't know we'd be in a place where people would be so giving and caring," she said. "That's why we could go on, because of people like that. They didn't forget about us."

Churches, businesses, nonprofit groups, parents at the kids' schools and other individuals have offered assistance, said Marshall.

On Christmas morning, North Stafford resident Kimberly Madison pulled up to the house with a car full of gifts. Through her church, Mount Zion Baptist in Triangle, Madison said she organized fundraisers and encouraged businesses to donate items for the family.

"Like everybody else, I wanted to do something," she said.

The family's ordeal started on Aug. 28. With Hurricane Katrina bearing down on Louisiana and a mandatory evacuation in place for New Orleans, they made the decision to get out.

Marshall lived in New Orleans, not far from the levees that would later break, allowing water to gush into the city and submerge her neighborhood.

Daughter Demetrice Robinson, 33, lived in Slidell, La., with her four children: Shundrika Robinson, 14; Rayonna Robinson, 13; Jessica Robinson, 11; and Rasheed Banks, 2.

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Date published: 12/26/2005