Help Katrina refugees this Sunday

This Sunday, September 18, Otto's Angels will collect items to be sent directly to refugee families in Louisiana.

The collection will take place from 9am to 3pm at Marty's Furniture, 99 Washington Street in Melrose (1/2 mile from the Oak Grove T station). They need donations of common household goods (toiletries, newly purchased underwear, bed linens, baby items -- see below for a full list). They also need volunteers that day to help collect and sort the donations.

For more information, read the message below from Stephanie Wilson, who directs Otto's Angels.

From: [email protected]
Subject: Katrina Update #3
Date: September 15, 2005 8:41:16 AM EDT

Hey all

I wanted to send an update about the donation drive that was held on Saturday (9/10) and Sunday (9/11) in the parking lot of Kiss108. I cannot even describe the overwhelming response we received. The donations came by the car load until the end. It was just amazing!! We want to say thank you to those who donated, KISS108 and the Citizen Action Team for helping to make this a success!

We filled an 18-wheeler Saturday, which left for Louisiana that night. It got to LA on Tuesday and was greeted by many families and shelter representatives who are not being helped by major organizations such as Red Cross & Salvation Army. Sunday we filled two 17’ Ryder trucks, one 14’ U Haul truck, and one and a half 24' Roadway trucks.

How to HELP:
1. We are so excited with the response that we have decided to hold another drive this Sunday (9/18/05) from 9am - 3pm. Due to the prediction of rain, we are moving the drop-off site to Marty's Furniture - 99 Washington St, Melrose, MA 02176

2. We are in need of VOLUNTEERS for this weekend's drive to help sort donations. If you are interested in volunteering or if you know anyone that is interested, please send an email to Claire D’Anna at [email protected] with the day and time you are available. We are asking that you make a commitment of at least two hours. If you can’t commit to two hours then any time donated would be greatly appreciated.

3. We are also looking for someone to donate an 18 WHEELER or PLANE and a driver/pilot who will be willing to donate their time to pick up the donations we currently have in storage and drive them to Lafayette, Lousiana. We also need a smaller truck (thinking 14' box truck) to pick items up at a few different sites that are gathering items. We also need supplies for packing - Packaging tape & BOXES!

4. Donate money to help us pay for the gas to get the trucks down to La. Any 'excess' money will be used to purchase more items of need directly in Louisiana/Mississippi. (checks payable to Ottos Angels - drop in office mail or mail to my home - 64 Bayswater St #2 Boston, MA 02128)

5. Drop-sites -
a. Stephanie Wilson's home - 64 Bayswater St #2, Boston MA 02128, let me know when you would need to deliver ([email protected]) through Saturday, September 17th.
b. Mari Quirk's home - 141 West 2nd Street South Boston MA 02127, call Mari's cell to arrange a drop-off 617.680.4607
c. Sunday, September 18th from 9am - 3pm @ Marty's Furniture - 99 Washington St, Melrose, MA 02176 (see below for directions)

WHAT SHOULD BE DONATED AND HOW TO PACK IT
If possible please sort, box, & label all donations. This will help the volunteers save time sorting and boxing all the bags that come in.
See below at the end of the email from Beverly Wilson, there is a list of the items that are in more need...summary is to focus on household items and not on clothes.

Thank you to all who have donated!!!!!
Always,
Stephanie Wilson
Otto's Angels
203.482.4399
[email protected]
www.ottosangels.com

A note from my mom, Beverly, who is running the Otto's Angels operations in Lafayette, LA:

Hi All - An exciting Otto's Angels Update -

EVERYONE - congratulations for all the donations of goods, time, and resources!!! The HUGE, full truck arrived at the warehouse 5:15ish on Tuesday and was unloaded in three hours. Boston did exceptionally wonderful things for the victims of Katrina.

We called representatives of eight families to the warehouse to select and leave with the things they selected to meet their needs. They were like children in a candy store. It was heart-warming to see these young men (late twenties and early thirties and their elderly mother and uncle) thinking
beyond themselves and picking up baby and young children's things first.

The truck y'all sent took up about 1/10th of the warehouse - 7/10ths was already taken up by four other groups with whom we will be participating. All of these groups have the same interest of reaching people who are not yet receiving help from the big organizations such as Red Cross, Salvation Army, and Goodwill. Those big organizations are for-the-most-part busy servicing those people who have made it to the shelters they are overseeing.

We are, however, hearing different stories about what is happening at the large shelters in Baton Rouge and how those refugees are being cared for..I'm so proud to be from Lafayette, with such caring people. We're checking into the Baton Rouge situation and will help there if we have and can provide the resources that are needed and can improve the situation. If it is people, we are limited in that respect because of what we face here.

We want to get the items in the warehouse out as quickly as possible because we have four more trucks already scheduled to come. Three are Wal Mart trucks bringing new clothes:) HOORAY for Wal Mart.

We have new issues now facing us in LA:
1.First is the large number of volunteers we need to spend time in the warehouse organizing the massive amount of clothing into sizes so we can find the sizes people need. It is our finding that no one wants more than they can or will use, so they only want the sizes they wear. They, at present, have no or very little space to store personal items because they are in a shelter, a friend's or family member's home, motel, or church space.

We really do NOT want any more clothes unless they are NEW so they can easily be sorted by size and gender.

Directors of Otto's Angels are meeting to address several areas the problem this many unsorted pieces of clothing bring up.

2.Second to address is getting the thousands of items and clothes out to the people in need quickly. Spread the word that our warehouse is there and that we are wanting to help those in need!

3.Security directives for our volunteers in whatever capacity they are serving.

*PACKING/DROP-SITE NEEDS:
packaging tape & dispensers
boxes
water for volunteers

*WAREHOUSE NEEDS:
Clothes racks and hangers

*VICTIMS' NEEDS:
*GENERAL ITEMS:
Bed linens
Pillows
Luggage which can help keep things organized
Detergent
calling cards
Sturdy garbage bags
Can openers
**Food - Canned goods, nonperishable items
Seasonings
Special needs food for Diabetics
Hammocks
Furniture
*** REMEMBER - people are starting from scratch in relation to setting up a house - they need the basics!!!!

*MEN AND WOMEN'S ITEMS:
Toiletries which are used up quickly such as deodorant, etc.
Black hair products
New underwear - both sexes, all sizes-children and adults(bigger sizes)
Feminine products

*BABY ITEMS:
Diapers, new born to toddlers
Pull-ups too
Baby blankets, new pacifiers, baby wipes, baby powder & lotions
Formula
Shampoo
Strollers, car seats,

Keep up the great work you are doing whether it be with us or whoever! Let me know if you want to be taken off this email. :)

More later,
Beverly
And Otto's Angels
Want to help? See www.ottosangels.com

Sunday's Drop-site Directions:
The locale for this Sunday is Marty's Furniture in Melrose at 99 Washington Street. For volunteers taking the T, take the orange line to Oak Grove. When you come up the escalator, turn right and take the stairs down to Washington Street. Turn right on Washington Street and go about 500 yards. The furniture store is in an old mill- giant brick building. Website for more info is www.martysfurniture.com.

Here are driving directions copied from their website:
From Boston & Points South:
Take Route 93 North to Exit # 34 (Stoneham-Melrose Exit). Take a right at the lights. Go past the Stone Zoo on the right-hand side. Take the first left after the Stone Zoo (at Melrose Sign). Go straight for approximately (1) mile past J.J. Grimsby's restaurant. At the one mile mark turn right onto Pleasant Street before the railroad tracks. Go for approximately (1/2) mile and Marty's Furniture Building is the big brick industrial building on your left.

From Points West of Boston:
(From Burlington Mall) Take Route 128 North. Take Exit 37A (Route 93 South). Approximately 1 1/2 on Route 93 South. Take Exit 35 (Winchester Highlands-Melrose Exit). Take left off Exit then take first right. Continue down road, go straight through set of lights past Friendly's Ice Cream. Then you will pass the Stone Zoo. Take the first left after the Stone Zoo (at Melrose Sign). Go straight for approximately (1) mile past J.J. Grimsby's restaurant. At the one mile mark turn right onto Pleasant Street before the railroad tracks. Go for approximately (1/2) mile and Marty's Furniture Building is the big brick industrial building on your left.

From Points North of Boston:
Take Route 1 South to the Lynn Fells Parkway (Exit after the Prince Pizza Leaning Tower Restaurant). Continue down Lynn Fells Parkway straight into Melrose. Continue straight past (6) sets of lights, (8 including the (2) blinking yellow lights at the High School on the right, which you will pass). At the 5th set you will see J.J. Grimsby's Restaurant on the left. Turn left at the set of lights. Go down the street for approximately (1) mile. Turn right at Pleasant Street (before the train tracks). Proceed down Pleasant street for about (1/2) mile and Marty's Furniture is the big brick industrial building on your left.

Trucks:
Take Route 1 South. Right on Essex Street. Left on Main Street. Right on W. Wyoming Avenue. Right on Pleasant Street (1/2) mile and we are on the right.

From Malden Square:
Take Main Street towards Melrose. After Kappy's Liquors first set of lights take left onto Winter Street. Then take right at set of lights at Oak Grove MBTA Station. Continue down Washington Street for (1/2) mile and we are on the right.

______________________________________________
Stephanie Wilson | | *: [email protected] | PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP | Systems and Process Assurance
125 High Street | Boston, MA 02110 |(phone) 617.530.5297 | (fax) 813.207.1092 | (cell) 203.482.4399