Save Waveland, MS annihilated by Katrina! I’m driving home with supplies. See how you can help. And, if you have not made contact with family or close friends, let me know and I’ll see what I can do.

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For the latest information on how you can donate directly to waveland, please visit my official Save Waveland entry.

Update 10/6/2005:   Fixed typo with date.  Thursday and Friday Oct 6 and 7 is the fundraiser.

Update 10/3/2005:    I’ve setup a PayPal account here.  Unfortunately, i can’t post the button directly on this page, because our blogging software strips the html needed to make the button work.  I’ve never done a PayPal thingy before, so please drop me a line how you want us to use the money.  We could also use some gas money, wink wink.  =)

Saving Waveland the only way I know how…

The Grand Plan Overview

Saturday, Oct 8, my husband Kyle and I are going to drive down to Waveland to accomplish the following tasks:

  1. Donate my husband’s truck (’92 Chevy Blazer) to whoever needs it the most (Fire Dept, Animal Control Services, etc.)  
  2. Drive to the major gathering areas of the town (hospitals, red cross areas, etc), put a big sign on top of the truck “Seattle loves Waveland” and start handing out as many clothes, shoes, toiletries, etc that we could fit in the truck.  We’re currently looking for a small camper or pop-up trailer (something really cheap and light-weight) to pull down there to donate.
  3. Look for the family or friends of people who have contacted me via this blog.  Given how this blog has become a message board for lost family and friends of Waveland, I’m using this opportunity to make a difference.

The Fundraiser

On Thursday and Friday (Oct 6 and 7), several coworkers and I are setting up a booth in the building 40 / 41 cafeteria between 11:30am – 1:30pm.  (Updated 10/3/2005: I’ve gotten a green light from the cafe to use a table.)  We’ll have photos of Waveland, before and after, and the USA Today font-page banner article.

We’re accepting both money and items.  You can also donate via PayPal!

We will host a bake sale and give out balloon animals for donations.  Monetary donations will be taken to Value Village to purchase clothing that we’ll distribute in one of the major gathering areas.

We’re looking for donations of the following (note: items are being added on a daily basis)

  • Cleaning supplies – the number one demand!
  • Underwear (numerous pairs in sealed plastic bags)
  • Socks (numerous pairs in sealed plastic bags)
  • Bras
  • Tennis Shoes
  • Baseball caps / hats
  • Toothbrushes, toothpaste, Listerine, dental floss, etc
  • Containers for dentures, retainers, nightguards, etc.
  • Deodorant, baby powder, etc.
  • Hair products, especially mousse or hair gel that is for dry or sun damaged hair
  • Electric razors for men
  • Clothing – mostly shorts and t-shirts (remember, it is 90 degrees down there)
  • Jeans
  • Wallets, Purses
  • That old portable CD Player you haven’t used in years
  • CDs, Music, etc!  (I doubt many people have working mp3 players, so CDs will work best)
  • Recent Magazines that you’ve read and are about to toss into the recycling bin
  • Drinks, Diet Drinks, Red Bull drinks (and some red bull sugar free ones too)
  • Snickers and Powerbars, etc.
  • Tools for repairing roofs, like, hammers, wonder tools, gloves, charged cordless drills, crow bars, etc.,
  • Small toys for children

And a small light-weight camper or pop-up trailer =) 

My mom said that the biggest thing they need right now in Waveland are people to come down and help with cleaning, moving  damaged items onto the street, working on roofs – lost of physical labor.  If you know of anyone considering going down there to help, please pass the word on.

I’ll also write on my car “Donate Directly to Katrina Victims – Contact SaraF@microsoft.com” and see how much email traffic that generates.

Let me know if you haven’t talked to your family or close friends yet

If you haven’t talked to your family or close friends yet, please click here to use this form to send me an email and the information I am requesting .

If you want to help…

If you are at Microsoft, stop by the 40/41 cafeteria this week.  If you are not a fellow Microsoftie, but want to help, drop me a line at saraf@microsoft.com and we’ll figure something out.