When Sheryl Dangel of Oxford heard about the disaster hurricane Katrina left in Louisiana and Mississippi, she knew she had to do something to help.
Not only for her fellow Americans, but for her husband’s uncle and his wife who had a home on the Gulf.
‘We heard from them (last) Tuesday night and he’s in a hotel in Mississippi,? Dangel said somberly. ‘They don’t have a home anymore.?
That same night, Dangel urged her children to help relief efforts. ‘They have to realize they’re very fortunate,? she said.
Dangel’s children and nine of their friends took to their suburban neighborhood in Paint Creek Village to collect canned goods for the victims down south.
Together, the kids collected well over 100 cans, from soup to vegetables, and dropped them off to the donation boxes at the Oxford Big Boy on Lapeer Rd.
Big Boy collected donations until last night. The items were shipped down to Louisiana today.
Stephanie Heldt and Britteny Hilliard both said they felt bad for the hurricane victims.
‘We just wanted to help people who needed help getting through this,? Hilliard said.
Donna Walker, a waitress at the restaurant, said watching the news has been ‘pretty upsetting.? That’s why she decided to donate as well.
‘Me and my friends pretty much cleaned out the cupboards,? she said.
Walker said members of the community slowly started dropping off items, but that once the media mentioned the Big Boy drop-off points that donations grew.
Dangel said the children were well-received in their neighborhood and that they will be heading out again to collect more cans.