A couple of weeks ago while going into the grocery store across the street from the fire hall, the ENTIRE fire brigade left in a mad hurry. We wondered what had happened, unfortunately that evening we got our answer. One of our friends posted on Facebook that her parent's trailer house had burnt to the ground. They were all okay but only had the clothes on their back and one very singed dog that had barked the alarm from his pen under the deck where the fire started.
Immediately I began to think what I could donate to them. There was an account being set up at a local bank for monetary donations, but we can barely put food on the table, so that wasn't an option for us. I did, however have plenty of excess material possessions to offer. Many others had listed items they were going to bring. We had all asked their various sizes for clothing and shoes. Someone had a microwave, someone else dishes, another towels and bedding and everyone had clothes. This left me thinking, what do they really need and what is the best way to go about offering it to them. I did not actually know them as they had just moved here from Aberdeen 6 months prior. I did know their daughter very well as coworker, babysitter and friend. I got ahold of her personally to let her know I had some stuff for them and ask what would be a good time to bring it to her and if the items I knew I had would be something she thought they could use (or didn't have 3 of already donated).
I used a couple of websites to research different tips for just such a catastrophe and what might be considered couth or uncouth. It seemed silly to be researching how to donate, however, a few of the tips listed were very helpful and some brought up points I never would have thought about. For instance, being early spring in South Dakota, the needed wardrobe was fairly flexible as we can still expect every kind of weather (it was -14 wind-chill that day, 70 the following week and this week we have 2' of snow on the ground and it just keeps coming), but if it were May you wouldn't want to unload your entire discarded winter wardrobe onto a family who is now homeless and likely living out of a hotel or other small space. If you did know they were able to get into another home immediately, you might then be okay offering them a wardrobe that essentially will spend the next season in storage, then be a fun new package come winter.
Another good tip was to do a walk through of your home and start with the basics, "What do have to have every day?" Toiletries, personal hygiene items, hairbrush, toothbrush, hair supplies, children's hygiene products, aftershave, razors. Some of these items it is better to leave up to their personal choice. I cannot say I would want just any brand of feminine product or scent of perfume, however in a time of need I could use any brand of deodorant, toothpaste or razor, they all do what they are intended.
Walking through your home, also notice all of your personal sentimental items that cannot be replaced. These things are things you are not able to replace (I wanted so bad to donate picture frames and albums I had but decided this may cause pain and discomfort and steered clear).
What we did end up donating were our old set of dishes as we had just gotten new ones for Christmas, a small tv, some small deodorant samples we were given somewhere and a couple other hygiene items from our guest bathroom, a few specific articles of clothing and some can good foods (another tip from this website). Canned goods are a good way to help restock a pantry when you do not know if they have immediate cold storage, still did not want to give them anything they did not have immediate room to store either, so I went with stuff that could be made right away, like tuna, beans and sauce for chili and some vegetables.
When we got to our friend's house there was a terrible wet, singed, burnt smell that brought reality to light. We found out they were giving the dog a bath and shaving off his singed hair. The poor thing. It was then she told us the story of what they knew and what they thought and what their plan was. They didn't know how the fire had started at that point, only that it started outside around the deck. Her dad was sleeping and her mom was across the house on the phone. The dog kept barking in alarm until her dad woke up and went to check on it and found the flames already up the side of the trailer. Her mom was on the phone with her at the time and hung up to dial 911 while her dad let the dog out. By this time the trailer had been overtaken incredibly fast. Her dad had oxygen tanks and lost all of his cancer medication. There is a program out there that assisted in replacing these. They made it out with the cell phone her mom was on, but lost the other phone. The fireman brought out her mom's purse that was charred and her brother lost most of his possessions including his saddle and rodeo gear. I can not imagine, as no one can until it hits home to them.
Only days later I found out my own aunt and uncle nearly lost their home to a fire that started in their attached garage but was found and put out before it got too far. I remember thinking I had once thought to myself, even joked that I would like to burn the house down and start over and live simply. After witnessing these families and their strife's, I only hope the good lord knows I was never serious and helps my friend's family to overcome this horrible catastrophe.
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