Everyone encouraged to help
Community rallies for hurricane victims
Wanda English Burnett - Editor

"What can I do to help?" That question has been asked a thousand times in Ripley County since Hurricane Katrina ripped through the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Businesses, organizations and individuals have begun campaigns on their own to help raise money to send to the victims.

From hot dog stands to special prayer services, the people of Ripley County have shown their true colors of compassion for fellow Americans who are hurting.

On Tuesday a semi trailer was positioned on the west side of the square at the courthouse in Versailles for people to bring items to. Spearheading the effort is Chuck Folz, county commissioner who said, "When I saw the devastation on TV, I knew I had to do something."

Folz, along with his fellow commissioners - Lawrence Nickell and Robert Reiners and Sheriff Bill Davison and the Ripley County Health Department - has launched the effort to help bring needed items to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. While the sheriff noted he didn't have extra manpower to send police help to those in need, his department was willing to help with this project.

Items that will be accepted include: baby diapers, formula, wipes, batteries, rubber boots, dog and cat food, extension cords, first aid kits, flashlights, leather work gloves, hard hats, heaters, ladders, lights on stands, dust masks, paper products, hygiene products, rain gear, roofing nails, rope, safety glasses, goggles, sleeping bags, staple guns, staples, storage containers, tarps 20 x 10, and contractor size trash bags.

Folz has been working with Bob Alexander at Baylor Trucking, and they will be supplying the semi. Fuel is needed for the trip and cash donations can be made to: Chuck Volz - Hurricane Relief. This money will go directly into an account at Integra Bank to be used for fuel to transport the items. "If we get this semi full, we'll send another one," Folz pledged, when asked what would happen if the semi fills up quickly. He hopes to keep sending loads of needed items until they aren't needed any more.

"I can't say our government 'got it together'" Folz noted, adding, "but, I can say we've got it together here in Ripley County." The commissioner was heart broken about the catastrophic event and says he will do anything he can to help.

"Just picture yourself as you are, you walk out the door in the clothes you have on and then seven days later you're still wearing them," Folz commented. He said he hopes to get lots of donated items and raise thousands of dollars for those who are in need.

Little is much

Children have big hearts and they proved just how big this weekend when they began a campaign to raise money. Candice McFann noted that her children, Lindsay and Michael Jr., along with Morgan and Brett Romans, Kyana Clippert and Sidney Steinhauer were responsible for making posters to put around town for a bake sale they wanted to have on Saturday.

"The kids were so excited to help," she noted. When they took a flier to the Alco Store in Versailles, the manager invited the group to hold the sale there. McFann said so many places were willing to help. She noted they received donations from Alco, Super Valu, Dollar General, and Tyson Church. Others involved in making the sale a reality included

McFann's husband, Michael, Eric and Connie Clippert, and Mary and Brian Romans.

The group raised $607.75, which they took to the Friendship State Bank so the money would be matched. The bank will match all money collected and then turn it over to the local chapter of the American Red Cross.

Truckin' on down

Local truck drivers Dan Smith, Alan Lewis, Rod Johnson and Darren Gagne, traveled to Baton Rouge, LA, this weekend to take a load of needed supplies.

The trucks and fuel were donated by Keith Crum of Crum Trucking for the 800 mile trip. The drivers donated their time and left Batesville Friday evening to take two semis loaded with 48 pallets of water donated by area businesses. The effort was coordinated by Rick Knueven, owner of Batesville Sav-A-Lot.

"It just really gets to you when you see these people," noted Johnson, who said he felt honored to make the run. He was also proud of his company, Crum Trucking, and said they are great people.

Students are challenged

A challenge was issued to the students at Sunman Elementary. For every A on last Friday and this Friday's spelling test, Sav-A-Lot at Batesville, will donate a gallon of water for hurricane victims. The water will have a tag put on it with the student's name.

"The students are really excited about the challenge and have risen to the occasion," noted Cindy Morton, principal at Sunman Elementary. "Last week they only knew about it on Wednesday, but this week, they've had a whole week to study!" she noted. An additional challenge was issued on Tuesday of this week by Phyllis Knueven. If a student simply writes his or her spelling words three times each, they will get a label for a gallon of water. "We want to make this accessible to every student," concluded Morton.

The Knuevens - Rick and wife Phyllis - will be traveling to Slidell, LA, to camp out for at least a week near a hospital. They are involved with a hospital association there and note they will be glad to take not only water, but newborn diapers and paper products of all sorts, which are sorely needed. Those items can be taken to the Sunman Elementary School.

Host a family

Paul Goldsmith has a vision to have everyone displaced from the storm to have a warm bed, food and water. "I started thinking that I have an entire second story that no one lives in," he told The Versailles Republican. "When I saw the news, I kept thinking where are all these people going to live?"

Goldsmith, who owns Wood Perfections in Batesville, put his thoughts into action and is gathering names of people who would be willing to house a displaced family with them.

You can call his business phone at 932-9663 or home at 934-2834, and leave information such as your name, phone number, space available, special requests. This information will be matched with families still in need of homes.

"This could be temporary and then again, these people may decide to make Ripley County their home," noted Goldsmith, who said money was available to offset the cost of food and clothes for these families.

Red Cross helps

Sandy Vanderbur, director of the Ripley County chapter of the Red Cross, noted that this organization, one of the oldest and most trusted, is still taking monetary donations. She explained, "Right now we cannot accept any donations such as water, clothing and so forth." They simply do not have the manpower to sort the items once they are taken to the stricken areas. Right now they are focusing on channeling the cash into the proper hands.

Something good that has come out of a request for volunteers, is that the first class of 15 is full and names are already being taken for the second round, according to Vanderbur. "Once these people are trained as a Red Cross Disaster volunteer, they will be able to help locally as well," she noted.

Vanderbur noted that volunteers and donations will be needed for quite some time to come, perhaps months. "This will continue for several months and people will be needed to help. This isn't going away any time soon," she said.

Numerous Ripley County businesses have sent relief to the victims. Some have initiated matching employee funds, and others have dug deep into their profits to share with those less fortunate.

Here's how you can help:

Monetary donations can be brought into any Friendship State Bank branch - Friendship, Dillsboro, Cross Plains, Versailles, and Rising Sun - to be matched. That money will be matched dollar for dollar and given to the Red Cross Relief Fund.

Monetary donations can be made to the Red Cross, and can be mailed to P.O. Box 221, Versailles, IN 47042, credit card donations can be made by calling 317-684-1441 or online at: www.redcross.org. Checks should be made payable to the Red Cross with "Hurricane Relief" noted in the memo field. Call the local chapter of the Red Cross at 689-6308.

The Salvation Army will also take monetary donations. You can call toll-free, 1-800-725-2769 or go online: www.salvationarmyusa.org.

WANDA ENGLISH BURNETT PHOTO

Doing their part - pictured in no particular order are: Lindsay McFann, Sidney Steinhauer, Kyana Clippert, Morgan Romans, Mike McFann Jr., and Brett Romans, who brought the proceeds from a bake sale/cookout for victims of Hurricane Katrina in to the Friendship State Bank in Versailles on Tuesday. The bank will match their money and then it will be turned over to the Red Cross. The group raised $607.75.