Fund efforts large and small raise thousands

The Daily Inter Lake

Flathead Valley music lovers gave generously to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts on Sunday, donating about $9,000 during an eight-hour Band Aid concert at the Kalispell Eagles.

The money will be given to the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

The event, sponsored by the city of Kalispell with help from the Flathead Valley Jazz Society, drew about 500 people between 2 and 10 p.m.

"The community really stepped up to the plate," said Jennifer Young, recreation supervisor for Kalispell Parks and Recreation. "It was really fun and the musicians had an awesome time playing."

The concert was put together in less than a week's time, with Young receiving support from Becky Spain, administrative assistant to the city manager, a slew of volunteers from Glacier Bank and Sterling Title, and musician Jack Waller, who helped secure the entertainment lineup.

MONEY HAS been pouring into the Red Cross and Salvation Army from a number of different fund-raisers as well as from individual donations.

Sandy Reich, administrative assistant at the Kalispell Salvation Army, said it's difficult to say how much local money has been generated because she has directed most inquirers to send their donations directly to the Mississippi division of Salvation Army.

Even so, she's received more than $20,000 at the Kalispell office earmarked for Katrina disaster relief.

Salvation Army cash donations may be sent locally to P.O. Box 8357, Kalispell, MT 59904, or to Mississippi at the Salvation Army, P.O. Box 4857, Jackson, MS 39296-4857.

At the Kalispell Red Cross office, about $110,000 has come in since Hurricane Katrina, spokeswoman Cindy Burns said.

"It's been very good," she said, adding that fund raising will continue through October for Katrina victims and disaster relief in general. Since it's still hurricane season and other storms may cause damage, she encourages donors to earmark their contributions for the broader category of disaster relief.

Schoolchildren are doing their part to collect money for hurricane victims. A penny drive at Edgerton School had already raised $1,246 as of last Friday, according to PTO spokeswoman Natalie Davis.

The parent-teacher group has placed collection jugs at 13 area businesses, including Three Rivers Bank, where an account is set up to handle donations for hurricane victims.

At St. Matthew's Catholic School, children are participating in a "Quarters for the French Quarter" fund-raiser under way at all Catholic schools of the Montana Western Diocese.

St. Matthew's students had contributed $500 worth of quarters as of Tuesday morning, and will continue the collection through next week, school administrator Gene Boyle said.

Money raised will go to Catholic Relief Services.

Somers Middle School students collected $834 through a coin drive to send to the Red Cross.

Flathead High School and Montana All-Star Cheerleaders staged a fund-raiser Saturday at the Movie Gallery in Kalispell, and filled a moving van with food and clothing for hurricane evacuees.