As already Superstorm-ravaged parts of the Northeast brace for a brutal winter storm, the Tennessee Valley steps up to help.
Lisa Parker from Ooltewah dropped off some household goods on Wednesday. She said, "That's where I'm from actually from is New Jersey, so I'm wishing I could do more. I'm hoping to go during the holidays to help out somehow."
But most of the people stopping by to drop off household goods at the Samaritan Center's Sandy Relief Drive have no personal connection to what happened during the Superstorm. But they do know what its like to get help from all over the U-S after deadly storms strike.
Tony Dahlberg is the Executive Director of the Samaritan Center. He explains, "So this is giving us an opportunity to as you've heard it coined, pay it forward to our neighbors up in the Northeast."
Ooltewah's Bill Brown Trucking Company offered up a 53-foot trailer for the donation drive. Then they called in Adventist Disaster Response.
Terry Haight works with Adventist Community Services Disaster Response. He said, "We've got to do something to help that situation up there."
The goal of this donation drive is to step in while the storm victims wait on government help. Haight added, "We'll go up for two weeks. Set the operation up, we will get it going and we will train local people to take our place when we're gone."
They'll set up a warehouse filled with the donated goods.
New items: mops and buckets, brooms and dustpans, pillows, sheets, cookware, dinnerware, silverware, plastic glasses, cooking utensils, pot holders and food storage sets, towels and washcloth sets, plungers, shower curtains and storage totes.
Used items: flat-nosed shovels, rakes and wheelbarrows.
Anything you might need when you've lost everything.
Parker said, "I think it's wonderful the Samaritan Center is helping out." Haight added, "We're probably, I would guess probably the most generous nation on Earth."
The Samaritan Center is accepting donations in their parking lot from 10am until 6pm through Monday November 12th.
