JAYCEES FROM ACROSS NATION ASSIST MIDWEST

When Hurricane Hugo tore through the Southeastern seaboard of the United States more than two years ago, the Missouri Jaycees sent several truckloads of water and supplies to the residents' aid.

Now, in Missouri's time of need, Junior Chamber of Commerce members from chapters in several other states, have worked to raise money and collect donations within their communities to send to flood victims in the Midwest.

Tara Caldwell, Region VIII director for the Missouri Jaycees organization, has coordinated the relief shipments to Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois.

"We put the word out to state Jaycees offices throughout the country, telling them what was happening and the kind of things we needed," said Caldwell. "We've had an excellent response almost more than we can handle it's just unreal how much help we're getting."

Help is coming to the area in the form of tractor-trailer trucks loaded with canned water, food, pet supplies, cleaning supplies and furniture.

Last week, two trucks loaded with canned water stopped in Olive Branch, Ill., to deliver their load to residents. Each truck carried more than 4,300 gallons of drinking water.

"The Red Cross only gives people two gallons of water per day; that's supposed to be enough to live on," Caldwell said. "So I called around to city officials, disaster centers, and relief organizations to see what was needed and where."

Two more trucks hauling potable water from Florida headed to Ste. Genevieve.

Since mid-June, Eastern Missouri, Southern Illinois and Eastern Iowa have received shipments from Jaycees organizations in Florida, Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Kentucky and Mississippi.

Caldwell lauded the efforts of the Virginia and Florida Jaycees who have sent dozens of tractor-trailer trucks filled with supplies for victims of the flood.

"They've been sending so much because we helped them when the hurricane hit," Caldwell said. "Now they're going out of their way to help us."

More than 100 members of Jaycees organizations in Colorado will arrive in St. Louis and St. Charles, at the end of August to help with cleanup for three days.

Indiana is sending between 40 and 60 Jaycees to Cape Girardeau in mid-September to help residents clean out their homes.

"We hope they can stay at the Red Cross shelter," said Caldwell. "If it's closed before then, I don't know what we're going to do."

Caldwell has made a 24-hour-per-day job of flood relief coordination in the area.

"I was on the phone for about 12 hours straight (last Tuesday)," she said. "We're trying to get things the area needs to best help flood victims."