Disaster Relief Collection Effort

Pictured from left: Fives Giddings & Lewis team members Adam Mosser, Kris Kiesow. Front row: Fives Giddings & Lewis team members Jackie Lambie, Aimee Hostettler and Vicky Melius, Salvation Army Advisory Board Member Sarah Dowidat, Fond du Lac United Way Executive Assistant Betsy Chandler.  Back row: Fives Giddings & Lewis team members Barb Lettau, Tom Baker, Gary Sternhagen and Lyle Huth, Salvation Army Captain Steven Wilson. The Osborn & Son Trucking semi load of non-perishable food, hygiene products, baby supplies and pet food collected in the 2017 Fond du Lac Hurricane Disaster Relief Collection gets a special send off as it pulls out of Fond du Lac, bound for Indianapolis, IN. There, Fond du Lac’s donation will be sorted into food boxes and hygiene kits, then transported to disaster ridden areas says Jeremy Baynai, Director of Indianapolis Operations for Midwest Food Bank.  Baynai estimates Fond du Lac’s 2017 collection will take care of 1000 people for a week. Midwest Food Bank and The Salvation Army have partnered in this way since 2005.

The Salvation Army of Fond du Lac County and Fives Giddings & Lewis coordinated and hosted the 2017 Fond du Lac collection Thursday, September 21 through Sunday, September 24 at the corner of Macy and Johnson Streets.  Community fueled the effort from the start.  In less than a weeks time,  Osborn & Son Trucking, Staples Office Supply, Pit Stop Portables, TLC Sign, Signarama, Mountain Dog Media, Radio Plus, Cumulus Radio,  Fond du Lac City Police,  Fond du Lac Area United Way, Care, INC., Mercury Marine, Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership and Great Northern Corporation added in- kind support to structure  the collection.  

During the four day event, donations totaling 151 cases, came from a cross section of community – families, individuals, organizations and businesses including Fond du Lac Yacht Club, Autumn’s Closet, and Wisconsin State Auto Auction.  Volunteers spent over 350 hours of time collecting, sorting and packing. Life Enforcement, Marian University, Fives Giddings & Lewis, Teen Court, City of FDL Fire/Rescue and FDL County Sheriff’s  Department, Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office Benevolent Association and FDL Firefighters Local 400 were among many helping hands.  A special appearance by the FDL Sheriff’s Department Amphibious Rescue Craft, Mrs. Wisconsin, City of Fond du Lac Fire & RescueTrucks, oncite broadcasts from Sunny 97-7’s Greg Owens and Mountain Dog Media and a Papa John’s pizza incentive inspired participation. 

Over $5400 in financial donations was also raised. “People would pull into the collection drive up, give, then empty their change holders to give even more,” Captain Steven Wilson shared. “What a joy to see Fond du Lac’s big heart reflected in every part of this event.”