A relief effort has been organized for victims of Hurricane Ike living in the Galveston, Texas, area. Donations may be made at the Conway Central Fire Station.
Elsie Rose Wright of Conway grew up in High Island, Texas, a small town on the Bolivar Peninsula. She said some people have a perception that only vacation homes were hit by the hurricane in that area.
"They are teachers, fishermen, shrimpers and crabbers people who worked in the grocery store. They just lost everything they own," she said.
The Bolivar Peninsula includes the small towns of High Island, Gilchrist, Crystal Beach and Bolivar, Wright said. The peninsula is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico on one side and a bay on the other side. Most of the towns were completely wiped out, she said, except for High Island, which was hit hard.
"There is currently no water, sewer, electricity or even passable roads in places," she said. "What few residents who remained during the storm have been told to leave the area because conditions are so bad. Innumerable homes have been destroyed or washed into the gulf or bay, and people have literally been left homeless."
Wright said, "I moved there in 1967. We would evacuate, but you would just get some sand in your beach house. Nothing like this ever happened. All my friends lived down that peninsula. It just doesn't exist anymore. It was just wiped out. It was a devastating experience for these people. No one expected this."
Wright began calling churches in the area to try to organize a relief effort. She made contact with a church in Winnie, Texas, which is further inland than the peninsula. She was directed to Patti Henry, who is coordinator for the Chambers County Emergency Operations Center.
"(Henry) said supplies are depleted because the needs of so many people are so great. She was thrilled that people from as far away as Arkansas would care to send supplies. They are distributing them through an organization called the Christian Caring Center," Wright said.
Fire Chief Bart Castleberry secured a tractor trailer rig to take the supplies to Anahuac, Texas, which is as close to the Bolivar Peninsula as relief can get at this time, Wright said.
Among the items needed are insect repellent; disposable plates, cups and eating utensils; and hand sanitizer.
"Mosquitoes on a regular day are pretty ferocious. When you have water standing, it's just unbearable," Wright said.
"They're telling people not to wash their hands because there's so much bacteria in the water, if you have a cut on your hand, you're dealing with an infection. So hand sanitizer is really important. Throw-away everything is really important paper goods. Because you can't wash anything, because you don't know what you just washed it in."
The central fire station is the drop off point. Donors may drive up and honk their horn, and firefighters will unload their donation, Castleberry said. Donations will be accepted through Wednesday, Wright said.
Needed items are: New socks for children and adults; new underwear for women, men, and children; new or slightly used shoes for children and adults; pillows; bath towels; adult diapers (all sizes); hand sanitizer; baby wipes; baby diapers (all sizes); canned baby formula; baby food; toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, facial tissues; paper plates, cups, and silverware; toothbrushes and toothpaste; Insect repellent; feminine hygiene products; energy bars; bottled water; peanut butter; canned juice; toiletries; non-perishable food items.
(Staff writer Rachel Parker Dickerson can be reached by e-mail at rachel.dickerson@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1277. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)
