OLYMPIA- The Volunteer Center of Lewis, Mason and Thurston Counties has sent out nearly 2,000 invitations to flood rescue and recovery volunteers who have helped out to a party in their honor on April 29. But any volunteer who helped with flood rescue or recovery is welcome to attend, and he or she may not know that the deadline for RSVPs is Friday.

Help us get the word out to these valuable volunteers. The celebration is from 5 to 7 p.m. April 29 in the Blue Pavilion at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds, 2555 North National Ave., Chehalis.

The event includes appetizers, refreshments, keepsakes and a thank you message from local families helped during and after the flood. And the event is free thanks to sponsorship by Weyerhaeuser and supporting sponsorship by TransAlta.

All a volunteer needs to do to attend is RSVP by phone to 360-741-2615 or by e-mail at events@volunteer.ws by Friday.

The Center is a non-profit organization that boasts over 500 volunteer opportunities to choose from across the county. Find out how you can change the world. There’s still time to get involved with local disaster relief efforts visit www.volunteer.ws

Contact: Sara Ballard
Phone 360-741-2625
Cell Phone: 360- 480-9571

Greetings all -

I'm asking anyone with photos, video clips and stories to share to help me with a multimedia project to help those still struggling with unmet needs following the devasting floods of December 3 last year. Long after the news attack helicopters have roared off to the Next Big Thing people continue to live with their homes in ruin and lives turned upside down.

Here's the text of an email sent me today by a friend who works in disaster relief and long term recovery efforts. Thought Dave's perspective on what's going on in Lewis County (and other flood areas) is instructive. I witnessed exactly the second disaster thing in the Gulf Coast a few weeks after Hurricane Katrina struck, where entire semi-truck convoys had arrived stuffed with used clothing, at least half of it rags. The "generosity" of others ended up creating an enormous solid waste disposal problem.

In case it hasn't been clear from all the media accounts and press releases over the past couple of weeks, please consider from this point on an absolute embargo, prohibition, ban, whatever on any donations of clothing or household items of any kind, especially to Lewis County.

The donations issue has created a major crisis in Centralia and Chehalis in particular. In the disaster relief/response community, this is typically called the "disaster that follows the disaster." I'm not at liberty to hare all that I know about the extent of the problem politically or among the voluntary agencies in Lewis County, but the bottom line is "no donations, period."

[via email]

Hi there,

I thought this might be of interest to OlyBlog readers - an Organic Farms Film Festival this week/weekend at the Olympic Club in Centralia. The festival benefits the Farm Bank Project (http:// www.farmbankproject.com/), which helps local farms.

I am not a contact for this event, just passing it on. There is contact information at the end of this email.

Thank you,

Whitney Bowerman

Organic Farms Film Festival
At MecMenamins Olympic Club & Dinner Theater
January 4 - 10, 2008
$5 suggested donation

Schedule:

This is an update for the local farmer’s that have been affected by the flood. There are several ways that you can help.

The Olympia Farmer’s Market (OFM) is accepting donations. They are helping to facilitate the clean up of the farms that sell at the OFM. The OFM is open Saturday, Sunday, and Monday 10-3pm. Donations can be dropped off at the market. Monetary donations can be made payable to the Olympia Farmer’s Market or go to the website: www.olympiafarmersmarket.com. This is the last weekend for Market. They will continue to work to support the farmers in need. There have been over $20,000 worth of donations in the past two weeks

The Olympia Food Co-op has set up a Flood Relief Fund. Some of the farmers that sell to the co-op do not sell to the OFM. Even small change can be a huge help.

FEMA has declared Thurston and Mason Counties. It is important for people to apply for help frm FEMA. This helps organizational efforts in rebuilding and reconstructions of damaged properties.

Work Parties are a HUGE help. It builds community and enables the farmers to deal with the mud before it becomes an even bigger mess. Many buildings need immediate attention and care in order to be salvageable.

These are the work parties:

The damage from the flood has been incredible. And we have seen lots of pics, and it may have wore some us down with all the loss and hardship. But this pic gives a unique angle, and I thought I would share.

This is the area around Walmart, Applebees, etc.