Those who are interested in pitching in for the survivors of the Oso mudslide can contribute throughout the weeks ahead, but they’d be advised to keep their weekends free for special events.
When the Arlington Community Food Bank opened on Tuesday, April 1, at its permanent new location, at 19118 63rd Ave. NE, some of the first customers through its doors were those who had been impacted by the March 22 disaster in Oso.
Cindy Reece, treasurer of the Arlington Community Food Bank, credited Simple Box Storage with providing a “12th Man” container for donations to Oso and Darrington, which had already emptied out at least twice before Monday, March 31.
“In that initial five-day stretch, two trips were already made to deliver its contents to the scene,” Reece said. “We were able to drop off about 5,000 pounds of food and supplies the first time and around 7,700 pounds the second time. As of [March 31], we have another 8,000 pounds sitting out there.”
Reece emphasized that the Food Bank is accepting donations of non-perishable foods and personal hygiene supplies only, and noted that, at last count, Oso and Darrington already have more bottled water than they know what to do with.
The Food Bank’s new hours are 10 a.m. to noon on Mondays for seniors and the disabled, 4:30-6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, and 10 a.m. to noon again on Fridays. Its phone number remains the same, at 360-435-1631.
Helping Hands, still located at its same address of 18722 59th Ave. NE in Arlington, is continuing to take in clothing donations for disaster-impacted families, along with the Arlington Kids’ Kloset, located at 135 S. French Ave., but volunteers at both locations report that precious few displaced or affected survivors have taken advantage of these available wares yet.
“We’ve been sending clothes and pet food to Oso, so they can be distributed there,” said Korene Thomas, a volunteer at Helping Hands. “They’re really running through socks, gloves, underwear and sweatpants in their fieldwork. Otherwise, though, they seem to be within their quotas, and in need of money more than anything else.”
“We don’t take diapers or baby clothes,” said Mary Linch, site manager for the Arlington Kids’ Kloset. “We stock children’s clothing, from size 4 for kids to adult sizes for teens. We’re set up great for those who have been hit by the slide, because it’s like a casual but organized shopping experience. Everything is on shelves and racks, and stocked by size, so you don’t have to sort through bags to find what you need. Unfortunately, we just don’t seem to be getting very many shoppers from that area.”
Linch speculated that those who have lost their homes in the slide are hesitant to take in new clothes or household goods without having any place to put them.
Helping Hands will nonetheless keep distributing donations that it’s received, to Oso survivors, from 9 a.m. to noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Kids’ Kloset will likewise maintain its usual hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays through Thursdays for all of its customers, mudslide-related or not.
The following is by no means a definitive list of all the fundraisers, donation drives or other events that are, or have been, devoted to disaster relief for the Oso or Darrington communities:
• The Sun Room Tanning Salon, located in Suite 108 at 7420 204th St. NE in Arlington, will be donating 100 percent of its proceeds from its next “Super Saturday” on April 5 to help support the mudslide victims. For more information, call 360-435-9926.
• Pilchuck Crossfit, located in Suite 2 at 6105 192nd St. NE in Arlington, will be conducting a “Workout of the Day,” barbecue and raffle fundraiser for the Cascade Valley Hospital Foundation disaster relief account starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 5.
A cash donation of $5 each allows athletes ages 14 years or older to take part. For more information, call 206-418-9949, or email Dawn@pilchuckcrossfit.com or Spencer@pilchuckcrossfit.com.
• The Marysville Family YMCA’s “All-In Family Bike Ride,” a poker ride along the Snohomish Centennial Trail already scheduled for April 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., will donate its proceeds to the Red Cross, in support of the Oso disaster relief efforts.
The ride begins and ends at the Snohomish Centennial Trail North Trailhead, at the Nakashima Barn, and cyclists can choose routes including eight, 24, 36, 48 or even 60 miles.
For more information, call Ronda Hardcastle, health and well-being director for the Marysville Family YMCA, at 360-651-1605, or log onto http://ymca-snoco.org/all-in.
• The Arlington High School commons, located at 18821 Crown Ridge Blvd., will host the local leg of a nationwide Zumbathon for disaster relief from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, April 10. All the money raised will go directly to the Cascade Valley Hospital Foundation fund for Oso disaster relief at Union Bank.
• Silvana Fire District 19 is donating all proceeds from its annual pancake breakfast and raffle, from 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 12, to Oso firefighter Seth Jefferds, who lost his wife, grandchild and home in the Oso mudslide. This event will take place in the Viking Hall, located at 1331 Pioneer Hwy. in Stanwood.
• Mirkwood and the Shire Cafe, located at 117 E. Division St., will continue its concert series of local artists, to benefit the Cascade Valley Hospital Foundation fund for mudslide relief, at 6:30 p.m. on April 12 with musical performers the Skablins, Woodshed and the High Council, for an admission fee of $5 at the door.
• Fred Meyer and QFC will extend the collections of donations at their check-stand coin boxes through April 12, due to the overwhelming support from customers and employees to assist the victims of the Oso mudslide in Oso. Fred Meyer and QFC will also be matching all customer and employee donations up to $15,000, for the Red Cross of Snohomish County, to assist in their aid efforts.
• The Norpoint Shooting Center, located at 8620-A 172nd St. NE in Arlington, is staging an Oso relief barbecue from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 13.
Burgers, hot dogs, chips, salads and sodas will be available for $5 a plate, with $20 for raffle tickets to try and win a Beretta PX4 Storm 9mm.
You must be 21 years or older to enter the raffle. All money and donations received will go to Oso families in need. For more information, call 360-386-8832.
• Cougar Creek Elementary, located at 16216 11th Ave. NE in Arlington, is conducting a penny drive through Friday, April 18.
Donations are being accepted in each classroom, as well as at the front office, and all donations will go to the Cascade Valley Hospital Foundation’s disaster relief fund.
• Nature’s Connection Place, located at 27225 71st Ave. NE in Arlington, has agreed to host a benefit dinner and silent auction for Oso mudslide relief on Sunday, April 27, but organizers are still contacting local businesses to try and obtain donations.
For more information, email 530slidebenefit@gmail.com. You can also log onto www.facebook.com/groups/-530slidedinnerauction.
For more information, call 360-435-2214 or 360-474-0282.
• The Cascade Valley Hospital Foundation has established a disaster relief account at the Arlington Union Bank, located at 525 N. Olympic Ave.
Checks should be addressed to the Cascade Valley Hospital Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
You may drop off your donations at either the Arlington Union Bank, care of Tina Davis, or the Cascade Valley Hospital Foundation, located at 330 S. Stillaguamish Ave. in Arlington.
You may also donate online at www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/cascade-valley-hospital-foundation-disaster-relief-fund/154422.
• United Way of Snohomish County has set up a Disaster Recovery Fund for Mudslide Relief, and started it with not only a $25,000 gift from its endowment, but also $50,000 from JPMorgan Chase.
More information is available at www.uwsc.org/recoveryfund.php. You can donate online at http://t.uwsc.org/recovery_fund, or spread the word on Twitter through #530slide.
If you, your business or your community group is providing assistance or support in some way to those affected by the Oso mudslide, please email Scott Frank, editor of The Arlington Times and The Marysville Globe, at sfrank@marysvilleglobe.com.
