by Mark Horner
I’d like to say, “Thank you,” to everyone who supported our effort on Saturday to collect Shell gas cards for local residents operating their own machinery at the Oso mudslide recovery and clean-up effort.
Here are Saturday’s totals:
$650 in Shell gas cards donated.
$150 in cash donated (by two firefighters. Turns-out their nearby Shell station in Darrington was out of gas cards. This money will be used to purchase fuel for the privately-owned machines at the mudslide).
Also donated: A bowl of freshly-baked (still warm) muffins and boxes of energy bars (donated by Twitter user @longhare1 as I was about to drive to Darrington. I know I said Shell gas cards only, but how could I say, ‘No’?)
Combined totals
We did a similar (very much impromptu) donation drive on Thursday. That effort resulted in $360 in Shell gas cards that were delivered to Darrington later that day (please see this story about Thursday’s effort for photos of machinery and local residents at the Oso mudslide, and additional background).
Beyond90Seconds.com readers (and friends on Twitter) have now donated a total of $1,160 for fuel that will go into the tanks of those privately-owned excavators and other privately-owned machinery on the Oso mudslide.
I’m posting several photos below regarding yesterday’s effort (all but the final image were taken with my iPhone).
The pictures begin with my drive to Arlington on Highway 9.
Pictures were also taken at the Haggen’s grocery store parking lot where cards were donated.
Then, you’ll see several photos taken along my drive to Darrington.
Ultimately, you’ll see a photo of Darrington-area resident Jaimie Mason receiving the donated Shell gas cards, cash, muffins, and boxes of energy bars.
I apologize for the delay in publishing this story. Tight for time now, too, but am likely to update this story with some additional information later. Nothing huge. Simply details that help round-out this story.
Thank you.
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Cannot thank you enough. We wanted our tiny bit of money to go directly to the locals without the burden of paperwork (or us being in the way). You blessed us,
You’re most welcome, Ray and Deb. Truly a pleasure to meet you yesterday. Thank you.
Every little bit helps! The boys up top sincerely appreciate it. They are amazing men that I have been working side by side with. They are what Darrington is all about. You can see from the pictures and video that mark has posted of me just how physically, and more so mentally and emotionally draining this whole thing is. Before this happened, I would have never let myself be photographed in the shape I’m in. But this is real. This I how we all look after being up there.
Thank you again to everyone who has donated. The muffins and powerbars were scoobied up by locals, and some of the amazing FEMA people who have been standing side by side with us, sharing our grief, our pain, and our tears.
Thank YOU, Jaimie for allowing us to donate in a way that ensures we are directly helping the local men operating their privately-owned machines on the mudslide.
I also want to take this opportunity to publicly thank you for your trust. I know readers here have greatly appreciated the insights you’ve provided with your interview and your photos.
And you’ve done that for us while encountering situations that we can’t even imagine.
Respectfully yours,
Mark Horner