Tremendous Outpouring Marks Final Day of "More 4 Moore"

Perhaps the final day was the biggest of the "More 4 Moore" effort that concluded Wednesday evening.

The effort was designed to raise cash and goods for the people most seriously impacted by the destructive tornado that tore a path through a large area in and around Moore, Oklahoma.

The goal was to fill a 53-foot semi-trailer provided by Broadway Express and Griffith Trucking.  The trailer was stationed on the south parking lot of Martin's IGA+ for a period from last Friday to Wednesday.  Not only was the goal met but it was smashed, to the point that a second vehicle will be needed to take the remaining items to Oklahoma.

The turnout Wednesday was huge, with 30 volunteers on hand at one point and all were kept busy by the number of people who showed up to give.

Our More 4 Moore volunteers hard ar work. We'll have a full gallery of photos up Thursday afternoon.

Besides all of the contributions of health care items, toiletries, paper products, water and non-perishable food items...not to mention the huge number of stuffed animals, cash and checks were received.

Martin's IGA+ opened its courtesy counter to those who wished to donate cash or checks.  $9,067.56 was collected at IGA.  That is in addition to $1,470 in cash and checks collected at our studios, and another $400 routed through Effingham County Salvation Army.  The grand total is $10,937.56.  The cost of fuel and toll roads will be taken from that amount to cover the expenses of the second vehicle that will take donated items to Oklahoma.

It's hard to put a dollar amount on the supplies donated over the course of the six-day effort.  Suffice it to say, a lot of people in Oklahoma will have many of their material needs met by the items given during More 4 Moore.

A pat on the back to the Beecher City community that had its own collection of items on Tuesday and Wednesday morning and filled a 20-foot trailer with items.  Stevens Industries in Teutopolis also had a collection effort.

There are so many stories to share and so many volunteers to thank, but special thanks are due the partners in the effort; Darcy Nestler and Tony Griffith from Broadway Express and Griffith Trucking, Newlin Martin from Martin's IGA+, and Cheryl Phillips from Discount Eyewear who contacted us about the need to do something to help those in need in Moore.

Thanks again, though, to all of you who contributed to "More 4 Moore."