From money to mops, the flood disaster response of the people of the Archdiocese of Atlanta continues. According to the archdiocesan finance office, preliminary figures show parishes collected more than the $106,000 for flood victims.

Mike McNamara, chief financial officer for the archdiocese, said a conservative estimate of the total flood response collection is $130,000. He said some of the money has already been sent to the Diocese of Savannah. The rest will be sent as it has received.

"The parishes collected $170,000 for the Midwest flood," he said. "This (current) collection was not mandatory. There was no set date for collecting it. The response from some of the parishes was just phenomenal."

St. Vincent de Paul has provided 1,000 alarm clocks, 2,000 pillows and 1,000 sets of pots and pans, at a total cost of more than $28,500 to be included in American Read Cross a "living kits " for South Georgia families who have lost everything and will be moved to temporary trailers. The money was raised from SVDP conferences in the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

"This is new territory to my knowledge," said Sheila Bissonette, executive director of the Atlanta particular council of SVDP. "It's exciting territory because Catholics make up such a small percentage of the population. Other groups are much larger and more highly organized for disaster relief."

"I think it's a terrific opportunity to work cooperative play. No one group would respond to a disaster." She said. "With SVDP responding with other groups, we can make a statement as Catholics without losing our identity. People who support SVDP to know that their support has allowed us to do these very specific things."

The youth group at Our Lady of the Assumption in Atlanta met at the church at 5:00 a.m. Saturday, July 23, before caravaning to the loading dock at the Read Cross. The 12 teenagers and two adults spent three hours loading supplies on the buses that carried hundreds of area volunteers to flood cleanup sites.

According to one of the OLA youth ministers, Colin Sims, the items loaded including cleaning supplies, shovels, rakes, soft drinks, snacks and water.

Holy Cross and All Saints parishes joined in an effort to collect and send supplies to the stricken area.

According to All Saints pastor, Msgr. Donald Kiernan, piles of diapers, wheelbarrows, shuttles, mops and water were dropped off by parishioners and taken in three loads to Holy Cross parish. More than $6,999 was also collected.

At Holy Cross, items collected by that parish, together with goods from All Saints and other local organizations, were loaded into a 24 ft. and a 20 ft. truck and transported to St. Mary's Church of in Americus, according to Bunny Bohaczyk, executive direction of St. Martin de Porres at Holy Cross. Parishioners at Holy Cross also donated money to St. Martin as well as to the archdiocesan flood relief collection.

"I still have a garage full of items to send," Mrs. Bohaczyk said. "This is a very busy ministry. It's been a pleasure to do it. This is an excellent parish as far as generosity goes. Msgr Kiernan and All Saints have been absolutely marvelous, just wonderful."

Mrs. Bohaczyk said St. Martin de Porres has been helping migrant workers through St. Mary's church for several years. St. Mary's pastor father Lawrence Lucree, served Msgr. Kiernan as an altar boy when both lived in Savannah.

"It was a tremendous display of charity," Msgr Kiernan said of the parish response at All Saints. He hopes to assist father Lucree’s flock in the future as well.

"Down the road they will begin to assess the damage," Msgr Kiernan said. "At that time we can see what substantive help they need. People are dazed right now. Even the fate of some of these towns is in question. I heard the governor say the area devastated is in excess of the combined size of the states of Rhode Island and Massachusetts together."

HELP STILL NEEDED

SVDP is also planning a mammoth sidewalk sale with proceeds to benefit the flood victims, according to Ms. Bissonette.

Gently used clothing, household items and knickknacks are needed for the sale. These items should be placed in plastic bags, labeled "for flood relief" and taken to drop boxes or four SVDP stores. Drop boxes are at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Briarcliff Road between Clairmont and North Druid Hills Road and Holy Spirit Church, corner of Northside Drive and Mount Paran Road.