Outpourings of help for Joplin amass in Capital City

Tony Giuliani and Jennifer Heard load boxes onto a pallet as they collect supplies for Joplin tornado victims Tuesday at the fairgrounds. Collections will continue from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. today. Guiliani said they hope to ship the supplies on Thursday morning.
Tony Giuliani and Jennifer Heard load boxes onto a pallet as they collect supplies for Joplin tornado victims Tuesday at the fairgrounds. Collections will continue from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. today. Guiliani said they hope to ship the supplies on Thursday morning.

Many Jefferson City area businesses and organizations are collecting items and cash donations for the victims of the Joplin tornado.

photo

Robert Keech and Susan Blagdon

Social media messages report there are varying needs for the Southwest Missouri city. Some state the area is overwhelmed by clothing; others say it is needed.

But, there is a common theme: the need for bottled water, snack or other foods that are ready to eat, blankets, pillows, toiletries and baby items.

Among the campaigns under way to bring relief to Joplin residents:

• The Jefferson City new car dealers along with Samuel's Tuxedos are accepting donations of cash, bottled water, baby wipes, toilet paper, diapers of all sizes, gauze bandages, Band-Aids, Neosporin, wrapped candy, toothpaste, toothbrushes, blankets, pillows, towels and wash cloths.

• Jefferson City area donors also are being encouraged to purchase items to make emergency cleanup buckets. These kits enable people to begin the overwhelming job of cleaning up after a disaster.

The buckets should be made in a five-gallon bucket with re-sealable lid and should contain: dry laundry detergent; 50-78 ounces; 1 roll 30-45 gallon heavy-duty trash bags removed from the box; a 12-ounce bottle of liquid concentrated household cleaner; a 25-ounce bottle of liquid antibacterial dish soap; two 50-foot or one 100-foot section of clothesline; 50 clothespins; 1 scrub brush; pair work gloves; 2 pairs of latex gloves; 7 sponges in assorted sizes; 5 scouring pads; 18 reusable, non-cotton cleaning towels; 5 dust masks; and 1 bottle insect repellent (drops or lotion, not aerosol).

Please purchase all liquids in plastic bottles. Send only new, unopened materials. Make sure lids on bottles are tightly closed. Put all items in the plastic bucket, making sure they are packed securely to avoid damage during shipment. Seal lid with packing tape.

The buckets can be taken to: Samuel's Tuxedos, First United Methodist Church, Hy-Vee Grocery Store, JCMG (both locations), Riley Toyota Scion and Riley Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac, Capital City Chrysler, Corwin Honda and Hyundai, Mike Kehoe Ford and Lincoln. Contact Sam Bushman at Samuel's Tuxedos, (573) 634-7265, or Pat Rowe Kerr, (573) 462-9531, for more information.

• The Jefferson City Jaycees are also collecting items that they plan to take to Joplin. The group will be accepting donations of bottled water, blankets, cleaning supplies, medical supplies, toiletries, diapers (all sizes, children and adult) and large storage containers. Those are just suggested items, other items will be accepted and delivered as well. They are not accepting clothing.

Tony Giuliani, 2011 president of the Jefferson City Jaycees, said donations had been pouring in all day Tuesday, and he expected the truck to be full when it pulled away from the fairgrounds Thursday.

He noted food items that required little to no preparation were needed as well.

"We have been hearing a lot about the need for medical supplies and shampoos, toiletries things like that," he said.

Crews will be at the fairgrounds until 7 p.m. today collecting items.

Cash donations can be made to any of the groups listed above. Donations sent directly to the Red Cross should be noted for Joplin disaster relief.

• KRCG and the Capital Area Chapter of the Red Cross held a telethon Tuesday to raise money for tornado relief. They raised more than $137,000.

• Ameren Missouri has donated $25,000 to the Red Cross in Joplin.

• Anheuser-Busch on Tuesday brought 51,744 cans of water to be used by affected residents and relief workers.

• The Jefferson City Hy-Vee is a drop site for people to donate to tornado victims through the Red Cross.

• KPLA, KBXR and Jeff Country will take donations at Wendy's restaurants in Jefferson City and Columbia today.

• On May 31, the Pizza Huts in Jefferson City will donate 20 percent of their profits from 4-9 p.m. on that day to disaster relief.