Sept. 14, 2004 -When Pastor H. Anthony Grainger, Frederiksted Assembly of God, returns to Grenada in a couple of weeks to help distribute food, he expects to see a different island than he visited at the beginning of the month.
He said about Hurricane Ivan's effect, "Everything has been destroyed 95 percent of the buildings, the police station, churches, schools, both secondary and primary."
But he does not have to worry about his brother and sister. He talked to them this week and said, "They are alive."
At the end of last week he issued a plea to other pastors on St. Croix to help him gather food for victims on the devastated island. The ministers meet on Monday evening to finalize plans for their efforts and collection began on Tuesday. Many churches are collecting food goods right at their church. The main collection point is on Route 708 at General Gas in Peter's Rest. When the 40-square-foot container is full and shipped to Grenada, Grainger plans to follow it to see what he can do to help on his native island.
The effort by the churches is expected to go on through next week
It is just one of several relief efforts for Grenada on St. Croix presently.
The V. I. Bar Association is also collecting non-perishable goods for Grenada. The collection point for their container is at O'Neale's Trucking and Trailer Transport at the Wilfred Allick Container Port, Christiansted. Collection hours will be through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Bar Association asks that donations be packed and the type of items listed.
For more information call the association office at 778-7497 or O'Neale's Transport at 778-1111.
The Rotary Club St. Croix West is also appealing to residents, businesses and organizations on St. Croix to assist Grenada. Packed boxes of dry goods and food items may be dropped off at the Club's Community Center located east of Paul E. Joseph Stadium in Frederiksted.
Donations of checks or money orders should be made payable to: Rotary Club St Croix West, with a notation "for the Grenada Relief Drive" and may be dropped off at the club's community center or mailed to, P.O. Box 26, Frederiksted, 00841.
For further information call the club at 772-5282 or Dorothy Mclntosh at 772-4590 or Clifford Christian at 772-2505.
Delegate Donna Christensen has written to President George W. Bush asking him to assist too.
"As the only member of Congress who represents a district located in the eastern Caribbean, I know too well the pain and suffering that can come from experiencing a hurricane the size of Ivan," Christensen said.
She noted that almost all necessities are in short supply. Christensen said that it was of the utmost importance that aid from the United States is given in addition to the assistance that the United Nations and other Caribbean islands are already extending.
"As a small island nation, Grenada does not have the resources to recover from a disaster of this scale and magnitude by themselves," Christensen said.
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