When members of Glendale's Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints began collecting donations for Hurricane Katrina victims, they
estimated that they wouldat best make about 250 hygiene kits -- packs
of soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, towels and other necessities --
church officials said.
But an overwhelming outpouring of community support over a
two-week period helped the church raise more than $8,000, Aleene
MacMinn, director of public relations for Glendale's chapter said.
With the money, the church was able to put together more than 2,000
kits Saturday morning.
"It was absolutely fantastic," MacMinn said. "What we thought
would take until about noon, ended at about 9:30 in the morning,
because it was such a large turnout."
More than 150 church and community members helped pack, box and
shrink-wrap the kits Saturday that were picked up by church trucks
later that day, and sent to families in the affected Louisiana areas,
she said.
And what was best about the project was that church members were
involved hands-on -- packaging the kits -- instead of just collecting
the money and sending it off, Glendale Stake President Kent Lee said.
"More people just kept donating and donating," she said. "It was a
huge success from start to finish ... just a great testimony to how
touched people are by this disaster."
