Yesterday I spent four hours unpacking donated items to sort and repack for storage. The Community Center is going to needed to be cleaned up further and then demoed for rebuilding. But they are continuing to serve meals on a daily basis and to serve the community in any way possible.
As I and the few others showed up to help in this effort just a couple of blocks away they were still serving meals from a Mason's Hall. Much of the items were not needed immediately and had to be packed for storage. That's where I came in and the handful of others that were there.
It was tough work and not as exciting as volunteering for the Holiday Party just the weekend before. But I had saved my time for when they might need more hands.
I spent four hours and begged to find out what more needed to be done. Last night we expected rain and they did what they could to make as much room in storage for food and tarp everything else. There was food brought to the Mason's lodge for tomorrow's breakfast service and it was separated out as we unpacked donations.
Right now if Daily Kos could donate some money, that's what is most needed right now. I know you all dug deep during the Holidays but this Soup Kitchen still continues to work beyond the Holidays.
And as I was digging through boxes I heard a loud yell from a passing car. It was a cry of despair from someone driving by, someone who had discovered just then that the center had burned. He was saddened by the loss and said that his family had come there when he was a boy. It was obvious he was doing much better now but it was also evident that this Center as many others across the Country had touched many lives and was continuing to do so amongst their own hardship.
As Laura Kanter, organizer of the Facebook Group noted in her update noted...
I do hope that many of you will be able to come out and help. I was there today and honestly, it is a mess and quite overwhelming. The staff have been there every day, trying to clean up and, at the same time, conduct their business from tables set out on the sidewalk. Amongst the wreckage and surrounded by loss, the staff continues to provide food and Christmas cheer to people in need. I know that extra help and support from the community means a great a deal and every extra hand makes a difference.
I know for me, I told my husband I would just be a couple of hours and I spent twice as much time there because I didn't want to leave, there was so much to do. And it felt good to do something, to be of use! My poor body could only take so much and I'm paying for it right now because of my rheumatoid arthritis and Fibro but I left and FORCED myself to take a hot bath.
I promised I would help though. And I promised I would write more and I told Connie and Elsa that I would write about their need for more help and more important for your donations so they can continue to do their good works. The warmth and genuine care I was given in the few short hours I was there to help was a lovely thing.
And I did love that not only did I meet a gaggle of glorious gals in the morning, I ran into a fellow Kossack's wife and daughter helping out a little later in the day. What are the odds?
So you know what, it's meant to be that Daily Kos should take this cause on. Please, I don't know how much more begging I can do.
Here is where you can donate...
Donations are being accepted at Orange County The United way. Follow the link, and enter "SMEDA Fire" into the PROMO box.
And here are some of the photos I took yesterday...
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