Black River Falls Rotary Club Donates to Iowa Counties Hit by Severe Storms
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020 -- 9:05 AM
-On August 10th, widespread, destructive, straight-line winds blew across central Iowa.The most extreme winds, estimated to be at 110-140 miles-per-hour, destroyed or damaged numerous outbuildings, barns, grain bins, homes, mobile homes, apartment buildings, trees and power poles in parts of Benton, Linn, Jones, Cedar and Clinton Counties. As People Of Action, the Rotary Club of Black River Falls hosted a Case Race & Food Drive to benefit those affected by the storm in Iowa and matched $500 worth of goods. On Friday, August 28th, donations were picked up. Seven pallets of water were donated along with many other items. Rotary Club member Brad Chown, his wife Lori, and Rotary Club member Mary Beth White-Jacobs and her husband Pete Jacobs offered to drive the supplies to Iowa. Supplies were delivered to Iowa on Saturday, August 29th. The supplies delivered were 14,296 bottles of drinking water, 100 Loaves of bread, two cases of peanut butter, one case of jelly, 11 Packages of diapers, two cases of baby wipes, 160 55-Gallon garbage bags, 11 bags of miscellaneous non-perishable food items, 40 gallons of chainsaw bar oil and one case of 2-Cycle Engine oil - enough to mix 200 Gallons of fuel. This was all made possible because of local businesses and individuals including Ripp Distributing donated water and offered a deep discount on additional cases of water which allowed us to collect seven pallets of drinking water; and Hansen’s IGA discounted bread that allowed us to collect 100 loaves.
Also, Scholze Ace Home Center provided an enclosed trailer at no charge; Jackson County Bank donated one pallet of drinking water; Black River Memorial Hospital donated one pallet of drinking water; Wood Sales & Service donated 2-cycle engine oil and provided a deep discount on chainsaw bar oil; Jackson County Interfaith Caregivers provided baby care products; Mary Beth White-Jacobs and her husband Peter donated water, peanut butter, and time, materials, and fuel to haul seven pallets of drinking water to Cedar Rapids; and Brad and Lori Chown hauled the trailer for food and supplies to Cedar Rapids. The Rotary Club of Black River Falls is part of an organization dedicated to improving the lives of people all over the world. Its purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian services, encourage high ethical standards and to advance goodwill and peace throughout the world. The Club meets every Monday at noon at the Skyline Golf Course and on Zoom. For more information visit www.brfrotary.org or find the club on Facebook.
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