Lincoln Rotary organizes local Katrina relief effort         

Supply collection to begin Tuesday

[SEPT. 1, 2005]  The Lincoln Rotary Club has organized an effort to deliver needed supplies to the areas hit hard by Hurricane Katrina.

Basic facts:

• Hull Trucking, owned and operated by Bud and Dennis Hull of Mason City, contacted Jill Douglas of the Lincoln Rotary Club to donate a driver, truck and trailer to deliver supplies to the hurricane areas, if Rotary or another group can pay for the fuel -- approximately $1,000 for an empty load.

• The Lincoln Rotary Club voted Wednesday to organize community efforts to send supplies to the hurricane areas. The club also voted to spend $1,000 out of the club treasury for diesel fuel.

• Lincoln Rotary is working with the Logan County Emergency Management Agency to identify a drop-off point in Mississippi or Louisiana for the supplies.

• Lincoln Rotarians are appealing to other clubs in Rotary District 6490 (east central Illinois, with which the Lincoln Rotary Club is affiliated), as well as clubs in the Rotary district covering west central Illinois, to help out with funds to purchase needed items.

• Members of the local community are encouraged to give cash donations to help Lincoln Rotary purchase pallets of supplies that are already shrink-wrapped and ready to ship. Checks should be written to the Lincoln Rotary Club. They can be taken or mailed to:
  • CEFCU, 341 Fifth St., marked to the attention of Mary Conrady
  • Meier Tax Service, 519 Pulaski St.
  • Lincoln Animal Hospital, 1415 N. Kickapoo

• Lists of needed items will be printed and available for shoppers at Lincoln Wal-Mart. Donated supplies can be left at the Wal-Mart services desk, and Wal-Mart employees will then box up the supplies and prepare them for inclusion on a pallet.

• Lincoln Rotarians, as well as student volunteers from Lincoln College and Lincoln Christian College, and local Boy Scout families will be at Barrick Enterprises, 301 N. Chicago, to accept donations of the following items:
  • Food that is nonperishable and requires no cooking -- such as peanut butter, crackers, cereal, spam
  • Cleaning supplies
  • First-aid supplies
  • Personal care items, such as diapers, soap, shampoo
  • No clothing or furniture will be accepted!

  Drop-off starts Tuesday (Sept. 6) and will run daily, except Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Sept. 17, or until the truck is filled. Receipts for donations will be available.

• Weyerhaeuser has donated the boxes for packing the supplies at Barrick Enterprises.

[Lincoln Rotary Club announcement]