|
Manteca Bulletin PJ, diaper effort for Katrina relief picks up support
North Main Street Storage in Manteca has joined Operation Goodnight. The barely a year-old 680-unit storage facility at North Main and Lancaster Street has offered the use of one of its units to store donated pajamas, books, stuffed animals and disposable diapers for Hurricane Katrina victims. Operation Goodnight was launched by members of Manteca Unified's two unions -- the Manteca Educators Association and the Classified School Employees Association -- in cooperation with the San Joaquin Chapter of the American Red Cross. MEA and CSEA have a combined membership of nearly 2,000 certificated and non certificated employees. North Main Storage General Manager DeAnna Daniel said the company is donating a 10'x20' drive-up unit which is roughly the size of a single-car garage. Daniel said Operation Goodnight organizers requested to have the storage unit for a maximum of two months, "but we're giving them three months in case it runs a little longer." She said the company heard about the group's need for storage from one of their customers, Tina Collier, who just happens to be the treasurer of MEA. Operation Goodnight "perked our interest," Daniel said, "because we're a small family-owned business so we're very family oriented" and they want to help the community. The owners of the business are from the Bay Area. In addition to donating the facility to the group, North Main Storage will also have a drop box at their office where people in the community can drop off their donations during regular business hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 pm. on Sunday. All elementary and high school campuses in the school district, plus the adult school sites, will each have a drop box for donations. All donated items must be new. In addition to sleep clothes for children up to 12 grade, the public is asked to donated coloring books, crayons and/or markers. The American Red Cross will pick up the items and distribute them to the young victims of Hurricane Katrina who have been evacuated to San Joaquin County or have found temporary lodging among relatives and friends here. Any extra items will be sent to other places where hurricane victims have been relocated. To reach Rose Albano Risso, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it By ROSE ALBANO RISSO |
