The Clarkston Relief Committee, in conjunction with the Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce, has united in an effort to create a single, generous donation from the community of Clarkston to the American Red Cross.
‘I’m not worried about saying ‘Clarkston sent $500,000.? Just the fact that we are doing this as a community is what makes it so special,? said Nancy Carlisle, who is heading up the CRC.
The Clarkston Relief Committee is coordinating the collection of donations for Hurricane Katrina victims from all participating Clarkston Community Schools, non-profit organizations and other community groups. These donations will be forwarded to the American Red Cross to provide much needed aid to the affected region.
?(The individual groups) will raise funds on their own. The donation checks will be sent together. That way we are sending money as a community,? said Carlisle.
Any interested group is welcome to participate and conduct their own donation drive in the manner suiting them best. Cash donations can be converted into a single check from your group or organization made out to the American Red Cross. Individual donation checks can be made out directly to the American Red Cross.
Clarkston State Bank is the donation collection site for this relief effort. All donation checks should be delivered to their location at 15 S. Main Street.
‘People bringing in their donations should go right to the tellers,? said Angela Tenbusch, branch manager for Clarkston State Bank.
Organizations wishing to raise money along with the Clarkston Relief Committee should contact Nancy Carlisle at 248-625-3740 or via email at njcarlisle@comcast.net. Organizations should determine a contact person for their groups efforts and supply their name and phone number. Groups who are donating to other support organization, like UMCOR or Catholic Services, please forward information on your collection totals to Nancy Carlisle, so they can be added to the total aid collected from the Clarkston community.
‘They are going to need money for a long, long time. (People) are very excited about this because they wanted to do something, but they did not know what or how to do it,? said Carlisle.
All donations are tax deductible and should be forwarded to the attention of the Clarkston Relief Committee at Clarkston State Bank by Oct. 31.
The Relief Committee will tally all donations and forward the funds to the American Red Cross in the name of the community of Clarkston, Michigan.