KOMO viewer-donated supplies reach Centralia
By KOMO
Staff
CENTRALIA, Wash. -- When the KOMO 4 Problem Solvers launched our
flood relief drive with the Salvation Army Wednesday, we never
in our wildest dreams expected what happened.
In less than 17 hours, thousands of you turned out at the Ikea in Renton to help us fill seven semi-trucks with clothes, toys, food and supplies.
And now, with the help of the Salvation Army and so many others, those trucks and their supplies are headed to the people who need them desperately.
One of the relief trucks went to Centralia, where a local motorcycle business called Powersports turned into an flood relief distribution center. Viewers donated so many supplies, the Salvation Army didn't have enough space, so Powersports stepped up and opened their doors.
Volunteers were organized Wednesday night, and more than a 150 showed up to unload the truck. Many of them were from local churches, and the Teamsters were leading the charge, carrying the heavy boxes loaded with blankets, pillows, clothes, toys, and lots of shoes and socks -- many flood victims showed up at shelters either without shoes or soaked shoes.
The volunteers formed two assembly lines and within no time, had 40,000 pounds of donated goods off loaded and into the warehouse.
I was talking to people in the shelters and said, 'Guess what is happening! Guess what is happening!" said Capt. Ron Wehnau with the Salvation Army. "And they went from (a dejected look) to (an uplifted look) and said 'We're gonna get help!' "
Even some of the flood victims showed up to help.
"I think it's wonderful there is a lot of people gonna benefit from this that sure need it," said Mary Willits, who lost everything in the flood herself.
One of the other semi trucks will be going to Chehalis, while the Salvation Army plans to send a third truck to the Bremerton area to help Kitsap County residents. The Salvation Army is still taking inventory of the donated supplies and will direct the remaining trucks and supplies to areas that are still in need.
You can still help!
While the Salvation Army has plenty of supplies now, they are still in need of cash and gift card donations. You can find out how to help at this link
In less than 17 hours, thousands of you turned out at the Ikea in Renton to help us fill seven semi-trucks with clothes, toys, food and supplies.
And now, with the help of the Salvation Army and so many others, those trucks and their supplies are headed to the people who need them desperately.
One of the relief trucks went to Centralia, where a local motorcycle business called Powersports turned into an flood relief distribution center. Viewers donated so many supplies, the Salvation Army didn't have enough space, so Powersports stepped up and opened their doors.
Volunteers were organized Wednesday night, and more than a 150 showed up to unload the truck. Many of them were from local churches, and the Teamsters were leading the charge, carrying the heavy boxes loaded with blankets, pillows, clothes, toys, and lots of shoes and socks -- many flood victims showed up at shelters either without shoes or soaked shoes.
The volunteers formed two assembly lines and within no time, had 40,000 pounds of donated goods off loaded and into the warehouse.
I was talking to people in the shelters and said, 'Guess what is happening! Guess what is happening!" said Capt. Ron Wehnau with the Salvation Army. "And they went from (a dejected look) to (an uplifted look) and said 'We're gonna get help!' "
Even some of the flood victims showed up to help.
"I think it's wonderful there is a lot of people gonna benefit from this that sure need it," said Mary Willits, who lost everything in the flood herself.
One of the other semi trucks will be going to Chehalis, while the Salvation Army plans to send a third truck to the Bremerton area to help Kitsap County residents. The Salvation Army is still taking inventory of the donated supplies and will direct the remaining trucks and supplies to areas that are still in need.
You can still help!
While the Salvation Army has plenty of supplies now, they are still in need of cash and gift card donations. You can find out how to help at this link