Grocery carts are filling up with supplies at area stores and churches and the school children are collecting funds to help as well. The area community collection effort will continue until May 5.
According to the Salvation Army, since the acute relief phase has assumed immediate priority, most aid has taken the form of meals, sandwiches and drinks served from 22 mobile kitchen units and at various shelters throughout the flood region. Providing meals remains the order of the day in Grand Forks, N.D., Crookston, East Grand Forks, and Ada where the Salvation Army is operating a 1,500 resident shelter.
Rapidly emerging is a trend toward intensive recovery activities as community cleanup. Residents in Odessa, Granite Falls and Montevideo are in the process of cleaning up.
A drive is on in the Paynesville area to collect needed supplies for flood victims. The supplies will be picked up on Monday, May 5. The supplies will then be delivered to the Salvation Army, who will distribute them to flood areas as needed.
Anyone wishing to donate supplies can drop them off at Ben Franklin, State Farm Insurance, Farmers and Merchants State Bank, Community First National Bank, Melrose Credit Union-Paynesville Office, Jerry's Jack and Jill, Wally's G&T, Corner Drug, and all Paynesville area churches including Hawick, Lake Henry, St. Martin, and Manannah.
The Salvation Army is not accepting clothing, toys, bedding or furniture at this time.
Needed supplies are:
Cans of pop, Wet/dry vacs, Power washers, Bottled water, New rubber gloves, Packaged snack items, Diapers, Rubber boots, Halogen lights, Waders, Dust masks, Squeegies, Food service gloves, Heavy duty garbage bags
Cleaning supplies (example: disinfectant, bleach, mops, buckets)
Nonperishable foods (only institutional-size canned food, for example: spaghetti, beef stew, chili)
Paper products (example: paper plates, napkins, paper towels)
Personal hygiene products (example: deodorant, antibacterial soap, toothpaste, hand cream).
Additional supplies as of Monday, April 28, are:
New underwear, New socks, Fans
Shoes-Men's sizes 9-13, Women's sizes 7-10
Trash pumps, Notebook computers, Computer printers
Facsimile machines, Vans, Feminine products
Disposable shavers, Shaving cream.