Doing my part in Katrina hurricane relief support doesn't have to take a huge chunk of my money or time. I've considered taking a trip to Biloxi, Miss., for two weeks of building transitional housing, or maybe donating some time or money or both to the Red Cross. I want to do something and I keep thinking that doing something has to be a big deal.
But it doesn't. Not right now. Right now, it can be something small and consistent for a while, like putting a few dollars into the donation boxes at Madison Market. They just set up a system on Sept. 15, whereby money donated will go to Red Cross or to a cooperative development fund to develop and implement food, healthcare and daycare coops for displaced people from New Orleans.
"There's just so much we could do, so much out there," said Caple Melton, community outreach and membership services coordinator at Madison Market. "We are still just figuring out what exactly we'll do with the Coop unions, but we've gone through the application process with Red Cross to put out donation boxes for three months."
Spare change
Apparently, the Red Cross application process to put out donation cans is a job in itself. Melton found that they had to sign up and wait for approval to set up donation boxes for three months, and then send all the money in one big chunk at the end, which makes sense but means making sure they keep an accurate account of collected quarters, dimes, pennies and bills.
"We'll do this for longer than three months, but we don't think our donation boxes can hold more than three months' worth," Melton said.
Rainbow Remedy is also doing its small part in hurricane relief, just finding the time to set it up on Monday, Sept. 19. They've asked their community of herbalists and naturopaths to donate bulk herbs and tinctures to a naturopathic clinic in New Orleans and they're collecting donations in cash for the shipping and handling. "Everything's been donated," said Michelle, the manager at the Rainbow clinic. "We're just setting it up now."
The Victrola coffee house is currently in the process of organizing a music benefit where money donated from customers will go to a hurricane relief outreach program. A few blocks north on 15th, the Hopvine Pub will also be hosting a series of musical benefit events. Keep your eyes and ears pealed for more information regarding these benefits.
Eight Limbs Yoga held a Satsang on Sept. 11, where people gathered and sang spirituals from the south, donating their thoughts, compassionate meditations and/or monetary contributions. Anne Phyfe Palmer, the director of Eight Limbs, is from New Orleans and helped organize the Satsang.
"My family all got out. I was just so sad, I cried a lot," said Phyfe Palmer of how she felt when she first heard about the disaster. "At first it seemed like the city was just destroyed. I also felt really angry at how the people were treated. So furious that that would happen in our country."
Take a look at Eightlimbs yoga.com for more hurricane relief events.
More among many
Other local businesses and arts organizations that are doing their small but significant part in donating something toward hurricane relief include the Capitol Hill Arts Center, Bailey-Coy Books, Seattle Central Community College, hosting a number of student-led events once classes get rolling next week, and Rainbow Grocery. There are many other small businesses that are currently helping with hurricane relief and I find it heartening and motivating. Thanks to people in our community who are actively involved in contributing what they can, when they can, I feel influenced in a positive way to do my part, too.
Capitol Hill resident Bronwyn Doyle's column appears in the third issue of each month. She can be reached at editor@capito lhilltimes.com.
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