Beaumont, Texas, School Raises Money, Supplies for Katrina Relief
Posted on: Sunday, 4 September 2005, 18:00 CDT
Sep. 2--Noticing a void in relief for hurricane evacuees living in hotels, the staff at Roy Guess Elementary School decided to raise money for them.
The idea was the brainchild of Chad Smith, a deaf co-op teacher, and Principal Hoyt Simmons.
Before "adopting" the J&J Motel near Parkdale Mall and the Holiday Inn Atrium Plaza off Interstate 10 and Walden Road, the school wanted to help evacuees by gathering clothing. But when agencies asked people to send money, they thought about other ways to help.
Simmons said he would like to see other Beaumont schools adopt hotels.
"I was driving by the hotels and thought, 'These are all refugees and they are being forgotten about,' " said Simmons, who said the Adopt-a-Hotel program was reminiscent of the Adopt-a-Troop program spearheaded by Smith.
"They still have needs," he said.
After contacting the two hotels, the school learned J&J had 15 evacuees, while the Holiday Inn had 75.
"They are here in our economy and spending money, too. They are going to run out of money real soon," said Simmons, who could sympathize with the evacuees because his Bevil Oaks home flooded about a decade ago.
He suggested people drop off cash donations, checks, school supplies, pet food and restaurant gift cards.
Seven children from Louisiana who need clothes enrolled Thursday, and the school planned to enroll three more today.
"Our goal is to have them fit right in, and they seem to be doing well," Simmons said. "They are ours now, and we want to treat them like ours."
People can drop off donations from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at the school at 8055 Voth Road. Call (409) 892-9702 for information.
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IHG,
Source: The Beaumont Enterprise
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