CULLMAN – When the Cullman Elks announced that they would start loading a trailer with supplies for flood victims in Texas, they knew the community would respond, but they did not realize how huge that response would be.
Elks Lodge representative Steve Varner told the Tribune Thursday morning, “We’re almost overwhelmed. It’s great! It’s absolutely great!”
Several other groups in the area have set up their own drives, and will be bringing their picked-up donations to the Lodge Hall at 1609 Brantley Ave. NW Friday morning, ahead of the truck’s planned departure that afternoon.
“We expect we’re going to get slammed tomorrow,” said Varner. “Of course, that’s a good problem to have. The Boy Scouts, emergency responders, and others have reported they’re going to do just that kind of thing.”
Accompanying the R.E. Garrision tractor-trailer will be six to eight Elks volunteers to assist with efforts at the other end of the road in Beaumont, Texas, at an Elks Lodge Hall that is open as an evacuation shelter.
Varner explained, “We’ve got a motor home we’re going to take down there, follow the truck, then spend some time–a day, two, three, who knows, down there, and we’re going to cook for those responders and those workers down there. We’re going to have a giant hamburger fry!”
Pausing for a moment from his own duties, Varner observed the flurry of activity in the Lodge parking lot and stated, “It looks like a bunch of ants right now, but you don’t plan for this sort of thing…you just do. You know what I mean? We got great response from our organization, and excellent response from the community. We can’t brag on it enough.”
The Elks announced that they will take donations up to 9 p.m., and will accept donations Friday from 8 a.m. until they leave in the afternoon. If you can’t get by to help with this project, check The Tribune website and Facebook page for other opportunities to give.
More donation drives:
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