Suburban help continues for Hurricane Harvey victims
Suburban residents continued to volunteer their time or make donations Saturday as part of efforts large and small to help Hurricane Harvey victims in Texas.
Kristen Klawitter and Karen Gonzales, leaders of Girl Scout Troop 40842 from Patton Elementary School in Arlington Heights, planned to leave for Round Rock, Texas, near Austin on Saturday afternoon in a pickup truck towing a trailer packed with donated diapers, formula, bottled water, crackers, toothpaste and more.
Donors visited Camelot Park Community Center in Arlington Heights with the last of the donations for Troop 40842's drive for the hurricane victims that went through early Saturday afternoon.
Klawitter said the Arlington Heights troop began acting on the idea Tuesday and eventually connected with the sixth-grade Round Rock Girl Scouts, who are working with Austin Diaper Bank in gathering donations for those in need elsewhere in Texas. She said the Round Rock contacts urged her to bring the items over the Labor Day weekend.
“We know right where it's going,” she said.
Patton School Scouts Josie Klawitter and Madison Gonzales, both 10, were eager to join their mothers in helping the Hurricane Harvey victims. Josie, Madison and other girls were among the volunteers at Camelot Park.
“I have a lot of stuff in my house,” Madison said. “I couldn't imagine leaving it all and coming back and seeing everything destroyed.”
On a larger scale, volunteers at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington will continue through Sunday collecting donations for Harvey victims, filling a semitrailer destined for Dallas and distribution to those in need. Willow Creek plans to load three semis with donations from six church locations.
A steady stream of donors traveled to the South Barrington campus Saturday with requested items including disposable diapers, new children's socks and underwear, soap, shampoo, small toys, toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Josie Michalak, director of local compassion and justice for Willow Creek, said church leaders began discussing Aug. 28 how best to help the hurricane victims. That led to the church combining efforts with World Vision International, a Christian humanitarian organization and longtime partner.
“The response is great,” Michalak said. “What I love about it is, it's not just the Willow community. It's the whole community at large.”
Willow Creek will take donations from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the South Barrington and Glenview campuses. Times will be 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Willow Creek Crystal Lake, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Willow Creek Huntley, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Willow Creek South Lake in Lincolnshire and 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Willow Creek Wheaton in West Chicago.