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Local businesses, congregations reaching out to the many victims of Hurricane Katrina. Date published: 9/1/2005
By JESSICA ALLEN When Mark Westall learned of the devastation Hurricane Katrina left in her wake, he knew he had to help out. He had seen the images in the media--cars under water, individuals searching for loved ones, and people sleeping in shelters not knowing if they had a house to return to. The 45-year-old owner of Autobility, a car dealership on U.S. 17 in Stafford County, decided to collect bottled water and canned foods and deliver the aid himself. "I remember what my brother and sister went through with Hurricane Hugo in Miami," Westall said of the 1989 devastation. "I thought this was going to be bad, if not worse, and these people will need some help." He spent yesterday talking to other car dealers in the Fredericksburg area, asking if they could serve as donation drop-off sites. They agreed, and he has 13 locations on board. He also managed to get other businesses and churches to help out. The local car dealers are among the many Fredericksburg-area businesses, churches and residents offering aid for victims in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Ten buses from Quicks Bus Co. in Falmouth left yesterday for Meridian, Miss., where they will shuttle power company crews from their lodgings to staging areas. Breg International, a manufacturing company in the Bowman Center in Spotsylvania County, is donating items to the Homeland Assistance Response Team, a company based in Northern Virginia. Breg is providing mats that absorb chemicals from water, and personal equipment such as goggles and protective suits. A group from the HART organization will go to the disaster sites within 48 hours to provide aid. Richard Bryner, Breg's sales director, said donating is "the right thing to do when people are in need." Ukrop's and First Market Bank will accept donations to support the American Red Cross' Katrina relief. The companies plan to match the first $25,000 donated by customers. Donations may be made in increments of $5, $10 or $20 as customers check out at Ukrop's. Let the cashier know the amount donated to the relief and it will be added to the total.
Date published: 9/1/2005
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