Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Hurricane Katrina

Boy, 9, takes reins of Katrina relief drive

The donation collection didn't really get going until the fourth-grader rallied everyone to the cause. Now 200 boxes have been collected and he's not finished.

By MARYAN PELLAND
Published September 23, 2005

SPRING HILL - A lot of people have tried to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. But Joseph McClellan Jr. went all out.

He collected more than 200 boxes of food, clothing and toys for families that lost everything. That's particularly impressive because Joseph is a 9-year-old fourth-grader at Deltona Elementary.

Joseph watched the reports of Hurricane Katrina on TV, like everyone else, and he simply had to do something. He said it made him sad to see so many people on their roofs or floating in water with their homes destroyed.

"I didn't know I could do this much," he said. "I just wanted to send some stuff to people in trouble."

He sent several truckloads over the past few weeks. On Sept. 30, the final load will be put in trucks owned by the Christian Fellowship of Spring Hill and taken to the Gulf Coast by the Rev. James E. Roberts and some volunteers.

If Joseph could drive, there's no doubt he'd man the truck himself. As he can't, he is happy running around Brooksville and Spring Hill organizing a campaign worthy of any corporate planning officer.

"Neither of the kids has seen TV or played video games for three weeks," said his mom, Dianne. "If they see their friends, it's to ask them to donate something. They just want to go out and make this happen."

Joe McClellan Sr. said the project started out small.

"We tried to get a local group to organize it," he said. "But it wasn't getting off the ground."

The McClellans got fired up when Dianne's co-worker Gina Callaci suggested hanging banners at a Springstead High football game, at area parks, and at local businesses. Joseph jumped on the plan, donations poured in and the project grew.

Joseph pulled together parents, friends, teachers, classmates and his parents' co-workers to get it done. He gathered boxes and made signs: "Help Katrina Victims. Donate clothes, food, toys."

He decorated boxes and set them out in his school, rallying the students around a simple idea.

He talked it up at Dunkin' Donuts, where his mom works, and at local shopping centers. He even conscripted his sister, Megan, a kindergartener at Deltona Elementary, to help pack boxes and donate some of her things to those in need.

Joseph isn't interested in a flurry of attention for himself. Actually, it's kind of hard to get him to stand still or talk about his project. He's proud of himself, he says, but a little shy about the Hometown Hero award his principal Beverly Chapin is encouraging him to apply for. He just wants to help the people who lost so much.

This month Joseph and Megan spent their allowance money, but not on the usual movie tickets or toys. They went shopping for the survivors. They made a thoughtful list and came home with crayons, bandages, nail clippers, disinfectant and antiseptics to be shipped to families who are hurting.

The McClellans aren't wealthy. Joe works two jobs. Dianne works, too. It's not easy to find time for something like this, but this family quickly found out how good it feels.

"It's wonderful to see what people do when you encourage them a little," Dianne said. "We got donations from restaurants and businesses. We even ended up with temporary storage space for the boxes."

Dianne and Joe agree that, as long as there are items donated, they'll help their children pick up the stuff and pack the boxes. They feel it has brought their family closer together and they learned a lot. They have a plan now for hurricane emergencies and neither parents nor children would hesitate to evacuate if that's what was needed. They feel better prepared and have a greater understanding of what could happen if a storm isn't taken seriously.

As for Joseph, he gave up a lot of time, energy and money. But would he do it again?

"Of course," he said. "If somebody needed it."

[Last modified September 23, 2005, 02:45:59]