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Hurricane Katrina

County helps in ways big and small

First responders and some donors have gone to areas devastated by Katrina, while bus loads of evacuees head here.

By MARY SPICUZZA and BETH GRAY
Published September 7, 2005

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BROOKSVILLE - Hernando County Commissioner Diane Rowden knows that helping hurricane evacuees isn't always glamorous.

When she called the United Way of Hernando County and asked if there was anything she could do to help those seeking shelter in the area, the answer was clear.

Portable toilets.

"Everybody has their part," Rowden said. "Mine happens to be port-a-potties."

She took action immediately. Rowden visited the Holy Ground homeless shelter near the Pasco-Hernando border. She consulted with waste management officials.

As a result, Holy Ground will be receiving at least eight donated portable toilets.

Rowden is just one of many Hernando County residents who are doing whatever they can to help evacuees.

United Way of Hernando County executive director Valerie Hunt said her organization is working to bring several bus loads of evacuees to the area. They are expecting about 200 people to arrive next week.

Some Hernando residents are taking in family members who were displaced by the storms, she said.

United Way is now collecting donated items, including gift certificates, phone cards and monetary donations.

"We will be assisting people with bus tickets," Hunt said. "If they want to go find Mom and Dad in California, for example."

Meanwhile, even as folks on the Hernando home front are gearing up to help Katrina victims, others are already on the other side of the gulf doing their part.

Eight members of Brooksville's Emergency Response team have been in Mississippi for more than a week, while Hernando County and Spring Hill Fire Rescue employees are now assisting in the rescue and recovery effort.

Four men, including two firefighter paramedics, a lieutenant paramedic and a captain with Hernando County Fire Rescue volunteered for the job, not knowing where they might be going or for how long, said rescue Chief Larry Nichols. The four were assigned to help in Mississippi and Alabama.

Two are expected to remain for seven to 14 days; the other two, "until they are no longer needed, so they could be there for quite an extended period of time," Nichols said on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Hernando County Health and Human Services director Jean Rags left for Mississippi on Tuesday. She was asked by Volunteer Florida, the governor's commission on volunteerism and community service, to coordinate volunteers and donations for the next two weeks.

Her mission?

"I don't know until I get there," Rags said.

Regardless of their respective missions, Hernando residents said they were willing to help any way they could.

The Christian Contractors Association collected about $2,000 in donations in a weekend fundraiser at Weeki Wachee Springs-Buccaneer Bay.

"It will go to those in need," said president Scott Jager.

The nonprofit organization already has sent several trailer loads of its signature water, Living Water, to the hurricane zone, Jager said.

On Friday, Brooksville business owner Chris Gross loaded a trailer with about 2,000 pounds of supplies, donated by area residents. With Tallahassee being the last place along Interstate 10 they could get gas, Gross made it as far as Gautier, Miss.

At the Gautier City Hall, Gross learned that the Salvation Army had set up a trailer in a parking lot nearby.

From a portable trailer, the Salvation Army was giving out two meals a day: a meal consisting of a bottle of water and a hot dog.

"They had a line of about 250 people," said Gross, who was accompanied by his girlfriend and their four children. "They said like, "Great, you're the first people we've seen."

This week, supplies dropped off at number of businesses working with Gross will be donated to the Calvary Church of the Nazarene effort. That congregation has a semitrailer truck heading to Alabama on Thursday.

Tammy Bennett, coordinator of the Calvary Church effort, said she had enlisted her brother-in-law, Robert Bennett, and a friend at his business, AirPro in Pasco County, to provide the truck and trailer for the 12-hour drive.

More than a dozen churches, including Spring of Life Church in Spring Hill, First Baptist Church of Weeki Wachee and First Church of Plant City are gathering supplies for hurricane victims, Bennett said. Also donations have come from retail stores and "people just coming off the road," she said.

"Everybody's pulling together," Bennett said. "It's an awesome thing."

Mary Spicuzza can be reached at mspicuzza@sptimes.com or 352 848-1432.

BROOKSVILLE - The Humane Society of the Nature Coast, in an effort to help in the rescue of family pets and orphaned pets of Hurricane Katrina, will be co-coordinating foster homes to temporarily house and care for animals.

Working with rescue groups in Louisiana and Mississippi, the Humane Society will be transporting pets from the disaster area to homes in Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties, until their owners are located, settled and reunited.

Individuals interested in helping can sign up to be a foster home by contacting program coordinators at thaynes2tampabay.rr.com or casunden@aol.com or call Brenda Haynes at 754-2755 or Carmen Sunden at 796-7253.

BROOKSVILLE - Joni Industries and a sister company, Seaboard Pencil Co., both of Brooksville, are sponsoring a drive for children who have been relocated to the Houston Astrodome as a result of the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina.

They are requesting donations of toys, coloring books, crayons, dolls, trucks, balls, art supplies and puzzles - no stuffed animals or clothing for this particular drive. With other groups and agencies providing food and water, the main concern for organizers of this drive is to provide children with things to keep them busy while they are in the temporary shelter.

Donations can be dropped off at 16230 Aviation Loop, Brooksville off Spring Hill Drive in the Hernando County Airport industrial park. Donated items will be shipped on Sept. 19. For more information, contact Wendy Hopkins, vice president of customer service, at wendy@joniindustries.com or 799-5456.

SPRING HILL- The United Way of Hernando County is accepting items for hurricane victims. Many local families are taking in displaced family and friends and need items as well as assisting the refugees that are coming to the area. The biggest need is for gift certificates to buy clothing and food, phone cards etc. Donations can be dropped off Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 4040 Commercial Way, or be mailed to 4040 Commercial Way Spring Hill, FL 34606.

BROOKSVILLE - A hurricane relief/Red Cross benefit concert will be held 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at Player's Choice Guitars, 945 Candlelight Blvd. The concert is free, but donations to the Red Cross are appreciated. Representatives from the American Red Cross will accept donations. Unusual Suspects and Last Chance 2 are scheduled to perform. Other performers will be announced later.

SPRING HILL - The Boys & Girls Club of Hernando County will participate in a game relay to raise money for the 17 Gulf Coast Boys & Girls Club facilities affected by Hurricane Katrina. From 4 to 9 p.m. Sept. 16, club members will play games nonstop at the club gym, 5404 Applegate Drive, Spring Hill. Donations may be pledged by the hour or any way you choose. Call Yvonne Krajcovic at 666-0068.

The American Red Cross needs cash contributions to respond to relief efforts because of Hurricane Katrina, said Dan Roll, manager for Florida's Coast to Coast Chapter, which includes Marion, Lake, Sumter, Citrus, Hernando, Flagler and Volusia counties.

All Red Cross assistance is free, made possible by cash contributions. The Red Cross is helping victims select and pay for what they need most, allowing them to buy items from local merchants, which puts money back into their local economies.

While the agency is able to accept bulk items (such as bottled water) that meet the needs of disaster victims, the Red Cross cannot accept individual in-kind donations or collections of in-kind items because of logistical challenges.

To make a financial donation to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, call toll-free, 1-800-HELP-NOW (1-800-435-7669).

SPRING HILL - Somebody Loves You Ministry, a food outreach affiliated with Calvary Church of the Nazarene, 235 Cobblestone Drive, Spring Hill, has acquired a semitrailer to transport toothpaste, toothbrushes, pillows, soap, toilet paper, dried food, canned goods and other items to the people of Alabama. Donations, including money to buy gas, may be dropped off at the church from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through today. The trailer leaves on Thursday headed for Monroeville Church of the Nazarene, which is near Mobile, Ala. Call the church at (352) 683-0587 or Tammy Bennett at (727) 857-9735.

BROOKSVILLE - Chris Gross, owner of Glyndower Web Designs, Brooksville, has joined other local business people to collect items for hurricane relief.

The group is looking for donations of water, Gatorade, clothing, canned and packaged food, bug spray, baby items, toilet paper, can openers, moist towelettes and other personal hygiene items. This week those items will be donated to the Calvary Church of the Nazarene semitrailer truck that leaves for Alabama on Thursday. Gross plans to make other trips to Mississippi on upcoming weekends. Donations can be dropped off at the following locations: Century 21 Alliance, 7141 Mariner Blvd., Spring Hill; Breakfast Club, 10150 U.S Highway 19, Port Richey; ERA Pearson Realty, 2178 Mariner Blvd., Spring Hill; ReMax Advantage Realty, 4320 Lake in the Woods Drive, Spring Hill; Tropic Shores Realty, 7331 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill; Exit Success Realty, 13215 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill; and West Hernando Middle School, 14324 Ken Austin Parkway, Spring Hill. For more information, call Chris Gross at (352) 584-1966.

SPRING HILL - MGM Hair Studio, 4035 Mariner Blvd., will have a cut-a-thon beginning at 9 a.m. Sept. 18 to benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The minimum donation for any type of haircut will be $15. In addition, the salon will accept donations in the form of cash, clothing, canned goods and other items. A bake sale will be held throughout the day, and a licensed massage therapist will give massages for a donation.

The salon will forward proceeds to the American Red Cross. No appointments are necessary. Call 688-1720.

SPRING HILL - LifeSouth Community Blood Center, 12395 Cortez Blvd., is collecting blood for patients evacuated from hurricane-area hospitals.

The LifeSouth network was recently notified by several hospitals in Atlanta that they are expecting patient transfers from hospitals in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. The Atlanta hospitals are asking for extra supplies of blood so they are prepared to meet any needs.

LifeSouth's collections this week, especially in Alabama and Georgia, have been reduced by the storm and those regions are not prepared to adequately supplement the hospitals' blood supplies.

The Hernando center is asking individuals to contact the center and make an appointment to donate by calling 596-2002 or to visit the center.

Blood donors must be at least 17 and weigh a minimum of 110 pounds. For donation locations and times, visit the Web site at: www.lifesouth.org or call toll-free 1-888-795-2707.

[Last modified September 7, 2005, 01:01:15]