Seattle-area groups band together to get drinking water to typhoon-ravaged Philippines
Nov 13, 2013, 6:28 PM | Updated: Nov 14, 2013, 11:23 am
Some Seattle-area groups have banded together to fill a 48-foot tractor trailer with bottled water and send it to the typhoon ravaged Philippines as soon as possible. (AP image)
(AP image)
A tractor-trailer full of bottled water could soon be on the way from the Seattle-area to the typhoon-ravaged Philippines thanks to the efforts of a number of generous Northwest volunteers and companies.
“One of the things we heard they need most over there is clean drinking water and anything we can do to help folks is really what we’re about,” says Eric Walter with Band of Brothers Northwest.
The Kirkland men’s group helps people in need, from cancer patients to domestic violence victims. And when the typhoon hit, it wasn’t long before they sprung into action with the help of Seattle television personality and entrepreneur Jenni Hogan.
“Folks instantly thought of us and reached out and said ‘Hey are you guys doing anything around this typhoon in the Philippines? And if so, what can we do to help?'”
Bartell Drugs, Homestreet Bank and others are backing the effort fill a 48-foot trailer Friday with clean drinking water.
People can either buy and donate water or make a monetary donation.
“For every $40 that is donated, six cases of water will be sent to the Philippines,” he says.
Bartell Drugs will be selling water Friday at the Crossroads location at 653 156th Ave NE in Bellevue for a discounted price of $2.99 per case, and volunteers will be on hand to collect water and donations in hopes of filling the truck by 6 p.m.
While it’s been difficult for even relief agencies to get emergency supplies into the devastated parts of the Philippines, Auburn-based Knight Transport is arranging to ship the entire trailer via airlift.
“Our goal is to get the water on the ground as soon as possible,” Walter says.
