A Noble Effort - Updated

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- In Birmingham, friends of Natalee Holloway held a barbecue on Tuesday in an effort to raise money for the search in Aruba. Four young men who were on the graduation trip with Holloway cooked hotdogs and hamburgers in the parking lot of Mountain Brook Community Church.

Update: Another perspective on the event.

The nagging questions won't go away for the Alabama teenagers who accompanied Natalee Holloway on her ill-fated graduation trip to Aruba.

Comments

[JADED]

GREAT JOB GUYS FROM BIRMINGHAM.....

[JustMe]

Are those guys trying to show the world that they care?

Newsflash: Everyone cares.

Write a check to help pay the expenses of someone who is actually doing something to try to find the girl.

All this tie a yellow ribbon/light a candle/ hold hands and sing a hymn bullshit makes me want to vomit.

People should stop doing things for the sole purpose of being noticed themselves.

[karl]

I don't get the candle light vigil crowd. It is like they want to be victims.

[Maarten mannee]

Update: parents Natelee and Joran meet

http://www.bloggie.nl/english/archives/parents_meet.html

[birminghamgal]

Just Me.....Yes we care. We care a whole lot. What we do not care about are sarcastic people like yourself. GROW UP.

[jonscot]

Was anything reported about it being suspicious that Natalee's bags were found all packed?

Was it preplanned that maybe she would spend the night out and so packed everything ahead?

Did she and Joran, decide about that earlier?

Then the other guys may have been informed that Joran had almost 'hooked' a tourist.

Just wondering...

[pearl]

jonscot, the persons who can gave those answers is the chaperone or the others student. But til they disappear with Natalee.

[Mt. Brook Mom]

In Mt. Brook, yes there was a fund raiser today
to go towards the expense in the search for Natalee. High school friends got together
at Mt. Brook Community Church, with a triple sized grill(borrowed from a local Piggly Wiggly), $200.00 of donated supplies, and had a cook out.
There is another fund raiser tomorrow...a few blocks from my house at a resturant.

[Matt]

Hello all,
Brief update-the equusearch trip to Aruba has been postponed to Friday because of some problems with a charter flight. Link attached
http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/06/22/aruba.holloway/index.html

Thanks

[Mt. Brook Mom]

By the way...the yellow ribbons on mail boxes,
store fronts and even a few strange places
do help to reinforce support for Natalee and her family. We also have a lot of very upset kids
in the community...and it lets them know that everyone cares. I have a yellow bow on my mailbox
and am glad that I can show my support. Also I
have been sending many prayers up to heaven
on the behalf of Natalee and her family, plus claiming scriptures. I am sorry for you JUSTME
that you have such a hard heart. I think it is wonderful that this entire community stands in agreement in thought, prayers and support of Natalee's family. JUSTME you are not our spokesperson. WE SPEAK FOR OURSELVES IN MT. BROOK
Consider it done!

[jonscot]

thanks pearl,
are you saying that none of them / Natalee's friends have shed any light on this issue?

[BamaRes]

We all gripe about the lack of information coming out of Aruba. If we are rational about this, are we acting any differently on this end? Instead of "hampering the investigation" it seems like no information should be withheld. They always tell witnesses: "Is there anything else you can remember? Anything at all? No matter how insignificant it seems, it could be important."

[MsDarthVada]

Mt.Brook

I like the way you think. My support to you and everyone that is affected by this situation.

I'll hang what I want, say/write what I need to, and do whatever I can to make me feel better and to feel like I've done everything I possibly can to help the situation.
A close cousin of mine served in Iraq for more than a year his 2nd time. He returned this last time because he was injured, he spent a couple months at hosp before coming home, 2 weeks after his return (Oct04) his house burned. InsCo was declining paymnt.After months of fighting & getting State Reps involved, they reluctantly decided to settle, IN the meantime, my cousin has had to endure more surgery. I do all I can to help them even though I am 100 miles from where he lives.
I KNOW this doesn't have anything to do with NH, but I thought posting it would help others see that the "NEED" to help in any way you can, makes the "HELPLESSNESS" feelings a little less intense.

[Mary]

I find this a little strange and a bit disturbing considering they keep saying Natalee could be alive some place.

Someone had put the link below up for Joran on this same sight. I had been there before . I thought I would go there again and take a look again. When I clicked on the pic of his friend in his pic it brought me to this link.(below). When I had seen that pic before I thought this guy looked like he was from Columbia and I see now from his info that he is!. Could this be the missing link and the tie to Natalee being taken out of the country if she is really alive.
what so you think. ?? I am troubled about this. has this guy been questioned and accounted for his whereabouts that night. hmmmm. ?????
Check it out. You never know. Anything goes in this case. Thoughts anyone??
www.myspace.com/14894939

I agree with what Natalee's mom said. There are more people involved in all this and they need to be found and questioned. !!

[karl]

Just me:

I lived in the Columbine area back in 1999, and it was pretty sickening to watch how everyone tried to use it for their own personal agenda. Seems like this case is turning into the same thing. A lot of people in the area are so emotional now that they don't see it but they will.

Keep up the rational posts.

[john]

Last night a few of Natalee's friends were on TV. They were asking them questions but did not ask them all the right questions.

I want to know if Joran and Natalie had plans to meet at Carlos and Charlie's? When they were at Carlos and Charlie's were they hanging out together or were they in separate groups? If they were hanging out together why didn't Natalee's friends come get her before they were leaving? Was Natalie fighting with her friends?

[DABRONX]

Listen, I'm all for supporting Natalee. i'll be arriving in Aruba tomorrow as i do every year at this time. But if those teenagers were so concerned maybe they should have looked out more for her while they were on the island. Why doesn't the media follow these people a little more closely they may find they r still partying and having a good ol time while the cameras are not on them. Stop putting them on tv because they have absolutley nothing to add or help in Really finding Natalee. I still don't see any of them coming forward and discussing what they were really doing and how deeply they were partying. What do they have to hide?
By the way this is in no way to take focus off Nat, I will be there for 3 weeks and i will do my part. Enough people have gotten there 15 minutes of fame, enough already. The media vultures need to leave and let the process go on. There are no cover ups, this government is doing exactly what they need to do. The media hounding them is doing absolutley no good. In fact it's probably harming them more. FOX GO HOME!!!!!!!!

[Sarah]

The media along with the family is the ONLY thing that is making this investigation go forward. It would have been written off as a "run away" from the beginning if the family and media were not over there putting pressure on the police. I agree that the other kids on the trip are not totally being honest about what they are telling the public but they've been instructed not to talk to the media. Its obvious from the few interviews they did have that the media isn't allowed to ask but certain questions. I feel sure they would be more open with their comments if they could.

[Media Freak.]

Sarah,

The media is not what is keeping the investigation going!! Please get that. The family had to get a local attorney so they can be correctly informed and educated regarding local laws.

Dutch laws do not permit investigators to release information to Media or victim or family or public till the is CLOSED or there is a COURTDATE!!

Investigation by local authorities an FBI has been going on since the beginning.

BY LAW they cannot be MORE open like we all would like them to be.

You know that releasing info before time, could result in dismissal of case in court? AND ALL SUSPECTS BE FREED????

Dutch Laws allow to protect citizens, even if they are suspects or charged.

[Darcy]

The media and the family IS what even got the three kids pulled in the first time for questioning. That was the Holloways actually. They found Joran before the police ever even bothered finding or talking to the kids last SEEN with her. They then finally brought them in for questioning and released them and arrested two security guards, on their words, who were NEVER seen with Natalee. A lot of conjecture by us all trying to figure things out but the above is FACT. A missing girl who could be alive and they never even for days go talk to those last seen with her until the Holloways find them first! Regardless of the difference in laws and legal systems, this is inexcusable in any legal system. However, the Aruba PD it is now known did tap at least Joran's phone so kudos to them and maybe there are things we don't know and cannot be released, Thank God, but the fact remains the media pressure (for once in a good way) and that of the family ensures there better be no hiding things under the rug or letting this case or investigation go cold. It has been about a month and not even a clue where Natalee is regardless of having the people last seen with her in custody. Sad, so sad.

[Darcy]

And to anyone questioning what the kids were doing and questioning the fundraising, etc. of the people or kids of the town this girl is from, this is inexcusable. Of course we all wonder some things, it is human nature but GET REAL. The only criticism or judgment belongs on the people who harmed this girl. Like it or not, she was 18 and that is legal age in our country to do as you will. This alone lets any chaperones somewhat off the hook even if it might have been wiser to have one there until every student was out of the club. By all accounts, she would not have gotten in a car by herself w/strangers. By all accounts, it is wrong that she had met Joran before that night, that is pretty much confirmed now. And let's not forget it looked as though a date rape drug investigation was going on last week and I for one am learning slowly that just because Aruba's way is not to provide info, does not mean they do not have any and to do a date rape drug investigation at that late point must have come from some kind of info obtained from suspects or others. And let's not forget they were in a country that is touted for its lack of murder and other crime and we have heard this a thousand times since this case began, things like this do not happen here. Regardless, any criticism of Natalee, her family, her home town, the other students or the chaperones is uncalled for and the sole focus and criticism should be towards whoever did whatever to her. I am a parent of a 19-year-old and a 23-year-old. Both daughters and it is not easy. My 19-year-old has traveled several times already although I have been able to convince her so far not to leave the country, but she has wanted to. I have seen criticism elsewhere of N's mom letting her go on such a trip. Okay, it is a supposedly safe country. Tons of kids are going. Your child is levelheaded and responsible. Chaperones are going. I saw just today this is a yearly trip for this school's graduates although the trip is not school sponsored so apparently there have been other trips w/other grads and nothing has happened. All indications look good to let your child go and even if mom had said no, an 18-year-old could legally say I am going anyhow and you cannot stop me. I am rambling but I just do not like the criticism of those who are not the ones that took her or harmed her. And how you can criticize anyone for fundraising and call that a bad thing I really do not understand. Just my opinion, no offense to anyone intended. Have a nice day all and my prayers to N and her friends, family and community.

[blue]

The Birmingham Post-Herald has a report in which a member of the trip to Aruba, Bryan Reynolds, tell the reporter, Daniel Jackson, about a fight in the bar in Aruba where Jaron and Natalee were hanging out. He states that he and others stopped the fight between the dutch boy and the Alabama guy.

Anyone would like to comment on this incident as I have yet to hear the big boys and the media hags picking up on it.

Why was there a fight starting? Was an old boyfriend of Natalee's in the scenario?
Just very curious, the article can be found in the Birmigham Post-Herald.

[Lurker]

"The family had to get a local attorney so they can be correctly informed and educated regarding local laws."

And how is that the MEDIA'S fault?!

Why didn't Ms. Twitty research Aruban laws before sending her kid over there, ESPECIALLY on a mission to get drunk?!

[Lurker]

"Like it or not, she was 18 and that is legal age in our country to do as you will. This alone lets any chaperones somewhat off the hook even if it might have been wiser to have one there until every student was out of the club. By all accounts, she would not have gotten in a car by herself w/strangers."

My, my, you MountainBrookers are defensive!!

Um, 21 IS THE LEGAL DRINKING AGE IN THE U.S., NOT 21! That's why Aruban was chosen -- so the kids could go over there and get sh1tfaced. EVERYBODY knew that, including the 124 lame sets of parents who consented to send their kids on that doomed, disorganized, ill-fated trip!

LOTS of things could have been done differently/smarter! I hear that the word "chaperone" isn't even being used anymore; now they're calling themselves "facilitators." [rolleyes]

"All accounts" means nada. FACT is, Natalee was SEEN VOLUNTARILY getting into the car with Van der Slut and the Cow Patty brothers, and she even waved and hollered "Woohoo!"

Stop trying to rewrite history. Those kids were BOMBED and everybody knows it!!!

[Lurker]

"to do a date rape drug investigation at that late point must have come from some kind of info obtained from suspects or others"

Or it's one more example of Aruba LE incompetence.

DUH!

[Lurker]

"Chaperones are going."

NO, THEY DIDN'T CHAPERONE IN ANY WAY. They now refer to themselves as "facilitators." They were ONLY there for medical emergencies and to assist with passports, that's IT! That's the way the spoiled kids wanted it. THEY called the shots.

AND there were ONLY SEVEN "facilitators" for 124 drunk kids. Here, I'll help you out and do the math: that's 18 kids per "facilitator."

"I saw just today this is a yearly trip for this school's graduates although the trip is not school sponsored so apparently there have been other trips w/other grads and nothing has happened."

Only for the past few years have they been going. AND about 375 other sets of parents DID NOT allow their children to go. They were the SMART ones, unlike the other 124.

"All indications look good to let your child go"

To a moron, yes!

"..and even if mom had said no, an 18-year-old could legally say I am going anyhow and you cannot stop me."

Um, MOM AND DAD DON'T HAVE TO UNDERWRITE THE TRIP! How many 18 year olds who don't work can afford a trip like that?!

Darcy, you sound like a typical CLUELESS, PERMISSVE parent with kids who watch MTV all day and you can't say "no" to them.

[Karl]

Lurker:

Trips like this really are not that unique. Whensomething bad happens the tendancy is to blame but sometimes bad things just happen. The only way to prevent all bad things from happening would be to lock yourself in a fireproof room. Driving a car is more risky than going on a Carribean vacation, if as a parent you don't let your child go after high school then they will probabl go when they are freshman in college and they won even have facilitators. At some point you have to let your children grow up.