Southport police collect Harvey donations
SOUTHPORT, Ind. (WISH) — Paying it forward, the Southport Police Department is collecting donations for victims of Hurricane Harvey.
From sporting equipment to a box full of stuffed teddy bears and, of course, the necessities — a variety of donations poured in for a variety of reasons.
“You’ve got to give back. Ain’t it easier to give back than to receive? My mom always taught me that,” resident Ronald Rice said.
Give Now
-
- Grab your phone
Or, Donate Online
Donate to the Red Cross online here.
One thing that banded the community together is, well, the community, one hit hard after losing Southport police Lt. Aaron Allan. He was shot multiple times and killed in late July while trying to help a traffic accident victim.
“We’re a community here who lost a lot. A lot of people came around and helped us out and so if there’s a chance that we can help somebody else out, it’s wonderful,” resident Terri Reed said.
The first day of the donation effort saw a wonderful turnout with a steady stream of people packing the department’s garage with donations.
Southport Police Chief Tom Vaughn was grateful.
“I don’t know the right words. You want to find the right words. You know, being able you give back,” Vaughn said.
Instead of words, the department is allowing its actions to do the talking.
“This is kind of my word, you know? Being able to give back. To me, I hope everyone understands that that means ‘thank you,’” Vaughn said.
The donations will be loaded onto a truck, then volunteers at the department will drive it to Texas. They plan on collecting from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the rest of the week. According to the city of Southport’s Facebook pages, these are items being collected: baby items, diapers, canned formula, baby food, heavy-duty trash bags, nonperishable food, bottled water, canned drinks, cleaning supplies, air fresheners, respirator masks, bleach, gloves, personal care items, over-the-counter medical supplies, soap, new underwear, new socks, charging cables and plugs for phones, large totes and plastic storage bins, paper towels, toilet paper, packing tape, hand sanitizer and mosquito repellent.