Announcement

**Dr.Gonzo** · 09-01-2005, 11:36 AM

Originally posted by Gracie@Sep 1 2005, 12:33 PM
Hi Everyone,

I haven't been posting here very long, but I lurk and have been following the Katrina thread very closely.

I have a friend who lives in Lake Charles, Louisiana, which looks to be about halfway between Houston and New Orleans on Interstate 10. Her daughter's school is a lot like my kids' school--St. Monica in Creve Coeur. Their school is getting ready to enroll between 50-75 evacuee children from the greater New Orleans area, and other schools in Lake Charles will also be taking on evacuees.

I offered to help by having my kids' school take a collection and send it down there and she said that while of course donations would be appreciated, their larger issue is that they need school supplies and clothing for these kids, and the stores down there are largely out of items like that.

So, I offered to coordinate a school supply and clothing drive from our kids' school for the schools of Lake Charles that are taking on students. Our original plan was to just do it at school. Then we realized that St. Monica is so centrally located (we're right at the intersection of Olive Blvd. and I-270) that we could have a "Rush Hour Supply Drive" and ask people who were on their way home and driving on I-270 to pull off as they pass the Olive exit and donate either supplies or money to purchase supplies and offset shipping costs.

I've got a couple contacts in place to publicize our event once it is approved but our Monsignor will not green light the "Rush Hour" part of the plan until we secure shipping (which is very reasonable--why collect a lot of stuff if you don't know if you are going to be able to send it to the people who need it?), and that's where I'm hoping that the members of this board can help me out. If you are involved in the freight business or moving business and might be able to either donate or discount the shipping of our collection to Lake Charles, Louisiana, or if you know someone that might, could you PM me with some contact information?

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

Amie

Quoted post

If you get the stuff, I'm sure there will be plenty of places willing to ship it, or even individuals willing to rent uhauls and drive it down there personally.

**Schwahalala** · 09-01-2005, 11:41 AM

Gracie -

Please list what age's or grades you need supplies for at St. Monica.

Thanks and a good effort.

**Iowa_Card** · 09-01-2005, 11:42 AM

Talk to the Red Cross and any other non-profit organization (like the United Way) that is headed down there and see if they'll carry the supplies with them.

Also, see if one of the local media outlets is planning to do something. For example, the Post-Dispatch might be interested in sending supplies from a few relief drives down there if Lee Enterprises owns media outlets down there affected by the Hurricane.

**Gracie** · 09-01-2005, 11:50 AM

Originally posted by Schwahalala@Sep 1 2005, 11:41 AM
Gracie -

Please list what age's or grades you need supplies for at St. Monica.

Quoted post

We're going to be collecting school supplies--pretty much anything on a kids' back to school list:

New crayons, markers, pencils, pens, loose leaf paper, folders, scissors, and glue sticks.

New or gently used backpacks

New or gently used khaki or navy pants, boys size 4-20 and girls size 4-16 (both the private and public schools have uniforms down there, and these will help in a majority of the schools)

New, unopened packages of socks and underwear, boys and girls' sizes.

Cash donations will be accepted to offset shipping, if necessary, and for giving to the schools to purchase books and other classroom materials these kids will need. Those things can be ordered, but they could use some help paying for them.

Receipts will be given for everything, so you can even deduct it on your taxes.

I hope to have more information on the times we will be collecting by the end of the day, and if no one minds, I'll post them here.

**Gracie** · 09-01-2005, 11:54 AM

Originally posted by Dr.Gonzo@Sep 1 2005, 11:36 AM
If you get the stuff, I'm sure there will be plenty of places willing to ship it, or even individuals willing to rent uhauls and drive it down there personally.

Quoted post

That was pretty much what I figured too, but the new Monsignor at St. Monica (who has otherwise been entirely cooperative) was previously involved in a clothing drive at another school that collected used uniforms from that school for a Central American school, and after everything was collected they discovered how expensive it was to ship it.

So he won't approve the public part of this plan until we have secured shipping to Louisiana, which is what I'm trying to do today.

**Daisy Mae** · 09-01-2005, 11:57 AM

I've got lots of clothes my son has outgrown, including some jackets and mostly size 5 and 6 that I will be glad to donate. Even though they're not really school supplies, we also have a lot of kids books that my son has outgrown and coloring books that he's never even opened up. Just let me know where to get all of this stuff to you and it's yours!

**davhaf** · 09-01-2005, 01:03 PM

Hi, Amy....

**Celtic** · 09-01-2005, 01:51 PM

While this is a noble cause, do you have any idea of the traffic jam you are going to cause? Have you been in touch w/ the CCPD? Highway Patrol?? If this goes 'public' expect a call.

This Saturday would be the time to get this done.

Transport.....the railroads will be up and running before any roads become passable. Check w/ the UP or the KCS and see if they would donate a trailer or two to be shipped down there. Mention the good pub and the not for profit status that the Church has.

**Celtic** · 09-01-2005, 02:32 PM

Just spoke w/ the MOHP. They are going to contact St. Monica's aboot their plan to 'unlawfully delay' traffic.

Have a nice day Amy.

**Indu WangZi** · 09-01-2005, 08:06 PM

Originally posted by Celtic@Sep 1 2005, 02:32 PM
Just spoke w/ the MOHP. They are going to contact St. Monica's aboot their plan to 'unlawfully delay' traffic.

Have a nice day Amy.

Quoted post

You are a quality bloke, Celty. Top-shelf, matey.

**Gracie** · 09-02-2005, 06:35 AM

Originally posted by Celtic@Sep 1 2005, 02:32 PM
Just spoke w/ the MOHP. They are going to contact St. Monica's aboot their plan to 'unlawfully delay' traffic.

Have a nice day Amy.

Quoted post

Are you serious?

**jhanke** · 09-02-2005, 06:51 AM

Originally posted by Gracie+Sep 2 2005, 06:35 AM-->
QUOTE(Gracie @ Sep 2 2005, 06:35 AM)

**Gracie** · 09-02-2005, 01:40 PM

OK, now that my heart attack is over from thinking that the MOHP (would that make them he MOHiPs?) was going to call my new pastor and completely derail my project...as well as give him a REALLY bad impression of me...

and I've been on the phone all day...

I'm pleased to announce the project is a go (and the police have been alerted

).

Hogan Transport is going to provide a tractor trailer and driver to take our collected items from St. Louis to Lake Charles.

Arrow Box Company is donating almost 900 boxes to help us keep things neat and organized.

I have a short meeting in about an hour that will finalize the days and times when we will be collecting, and when I know, if it's ok I'll post it here.

**jhanke** · 09-02-2005, 01:53 PM

absolutly! I would also ask your pastor if he wants to get the word out to the media and call a few radio stations. You could get more than you barganed for that way tho

Announcement

St. Monica "Rush Hour Supply Drive"

St. Monica "Rush Hour Supply Drive"

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