Multiple efforts to help those who lost so much to the destruction of Hurricane Katrina are underway here in Castle Pines North and throughout Douglas County. Residents who want to help can start with these relief efforts:
Michael Elmore and troop 316 are collecting new or used backpacks to truck down to the relief effort in Biloxi, Mississippi. Please fill the new or used backpacks with the following items.
- First aid kit
- Change of clothes
- Lightweight sleeping bag or blanket
- Toys, games or stuffed animals
- Rain poncho
- Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops can put their troop shirt, hat or something with their Troop number to let the recipient know where it came from.
Children of various ages need these basic items. Indicate what age group the backpack is for on the outside of the bag. On Sunday, September 18 at 12 noon Troop 316 will be at the King Soopers parking lot to load the truck.
The Douglas County Educational Foundation is collecting supplies and providing tangible help to those who need it. Douglas County Schools are asking parents to please consider donating some of the following supplies from this list to children who have lost everything. Most schools will be accepting donations through September 12th and they will be shipped ASAP to those in need. Please call your neighborhood school to determine their participation and appropriate place to drop off your contributions.
Supplies needed: (new or lightly used)
- Construction and Graph Paper
- Crayons
- Coloring Books
- Scissors
- Markers
- Spiral Notebooks
- Highlighters
- Rulers
- Compasses
- Protractors
- Ballpoint Pens
- Glue Sticks
- Toiletries
- Books
- Pencils
- Tissues
- Hand Sanitizer
- Small Stuffed Animal
Colorado SART (State Animal Response Team), a program of the Colorado Veterinary Medical Foundation, is coordinating the efforts of animal groups in Colorado to help the animal victims of Hurricane Katrina. Colorado SART is in direct contact with the agencies involved in animal rescue efforts in the hurricane-affected areas and will serve as the State’s focal point for requests for resources and assistance. Colorado animal groups willing to assist will be asked to work through SART to provide a coordinated, effective response effort so that resources can be mobilized to the areas in greatest need.
“Our assistance efforts should be timely and well-organized to best meet the needs of the animals,” said Dr. Kevin Dennison, program director for SART. Dennison added, “We are all concerned about the victims of Hurricane Katrina and want to help in any way we can. The best way Coloradans can help is to donate money, not supplies, for agencies in the hurricane areas to use where needed most.”
Citizens of Colorado who want to help the animal victims of Hurricane Katrina can donate through the Colorado Veterinary Medical Foundation. CVMF will direct 100 percent of funds collected to organizations assisting the animal victims – both those owned by evacuees as well as shelter animals awaiting adoption. Checks payable to “CVMF - Katrina Fund” can be mailed to 789 Sherman Street, Suite 550, Denver, CO 80203.
Please contact Dr. Dennison at 303.895.1138 over Labor Day weekend or Jayme Nielson-Foley, Director, Public Relations, at 303.318.0447 during normal business hours.
Douglas County is planning an all day FUNd-Raiser to help victims of Hurricane Katrina for September 23. For more details visit the Douglas County website.
