Amber Weide has been on the receiving end of benevolence in fundraisers to help her with cancer treatments. She understands the downside of life.
Wednesday afternoon Amber and daughter Bayleigh came to the Thrive Allen County office with armloads of clothing to help displaced survivors of the horrific tornado that struck Joplin early Sunday evening.
“It’s a chance for them — for many people — to give back to the community, to help others,” said Cathy Lynch, Thrive receptionist. “Amber understands how important it is to receive help when you really need it.”
So do Marianne Westerman and Lillian Orzechowski, women of caring and generous natures. They also brought in clothing.
When Lynch mentioned she hadn’t had time to separate all donations by size and gender, the two women doffed jackets and went to work.
“WE SENT a van filled with clothing to a church in Galena Tuesday,” Lynch said.
The Rev. David Meier, of Humboldt’s St. Peter’s Lutheran, ferried the clothing in his church’s van. The Galena church is near Joplin and a distribution point.
“We have enough clothing to fill a van again,” said Lynch, motioning to bulging boxes and bags. More clothing awaits distribution at the Community Living Opportunities office, 201 West St., where donations also are being accepted.
The CLO office is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Thrive office weekdays to 5 p.m.
Another area of the Thrive office is filled with personal hygiene items and a large cache of bottled water.
“SAFE BASE brought in all those toothbrushes and toothpaste,” she said, pointing to two large plastic totes filled to the brim with 15 unopened boxes of 72 brushes each and many packages of one to three. A rough count put the toothbrush hoard at about 1,500, left over from the after-school program’s oral health project.
Employees of Allen County Hospital have made several trips to the Thrive office, to give individually and by groups.
“You can tell it’s close to their hearts,” Lynch said of the ACH employees, who have a kinship to those who staffed St. John’s Medical Center, the huge hospital ravaged by the EF-5 tornado.
Notes taped to the Thrive office wall list items most needed: soap and hand cleaner, wipes, shampoo and conditioner, bottled water, diapers, paper towels and feminine hygiene products.
Financial donations also are welcome. Through Wednesday afternoon $200 had been given.
Thrive Executive Director David Toland said he was amazed at how much had been donated since word spread Monday that Thrive would be a collection point.
“We’ve had people from all over the county bring in things,” he said. “They’ve been incredibly generous.”
