‘They would do the same for us’: Rock Hill schools collect donations for SC flood victims
Before school started Wednesday morning at Sullivan Middle School, the doors opened and the kids did not bring breakfast. They brought water, diapers and more for flood victims in Columbia.
The donations poured in at several schools in the district, where lesson plans turned from not just reading about civic duties, but doing them.
The school was inspired by Columbia’s Kathwood Baptist Church, which was surrounded by flood waters and displaced neighbors but still opened its day care to all families during the flood.
Sullivan Principal Shane Goodwin said students and staff volunteered to lead the effort to help others.
“We want to help people any way we can,” said Nermin Mansour, who along with fellow guidance counselor Dawn Seabold coordinated the donation plan, which had spread to at least 15 Rock Hill schools by Wednesday.
Eighth-grader Nathan McIntosh and his sister, sixth-grader Emma McIntosh, brought armloads of supplies to Sullivan. They said helping is what you do in a flood.
Kaitlyn Stevenson, a sixth-grader, brought water: “I want to help someone.”
There were so many donations that other kids volunteered to help carry it all inside.
The donations are part of efforts throughout York County as businesses, churches, schools and civic groups collect and haul supplies.
Want to help?
Here some of the places in York County where you can drop off donations to help South Carolina flood victims:
▪ Sullivan Middle School, 1825 Eden Terrace, Rock Hill. Bottled water, diapers, wipes and baby formula. Donations accepted at the main office from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
▪ Fort Mill Ford, 801 Gold Hill Road. Bottled water, diapers, toiletries, games for children that do not require batteries, contact lens solutions, contact cases and other nonperishable items.
▪ Emmanuel Church of the Nazarene, 998 Dunlap Roddey Road, Rock Hill. Blankets, toiletries, hygiene products and crisis care kits that generally are put in zip bags and include shampoo, soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste, combs, hand towels, pocket-sized tissues, and small toys. For information call 803-328-2134.
▪ Trinity Bible Church, 505 University Drive, is collecting diapers, blankets, clothes, water, hygiene items, board games and food. Call 803-328-1816.
Water only donations:
▪ Allen Tate Realtors, 1602 Ebenezer Road
▪ Founders Federal Credit Union, all locations
▪ Piedmont Medical Center, main lobby
▪ Williams & Fudge, 300 Chatham Ave.
▪ Upper Palmetto YMCA, 402 Charlotte Ave.
Financial donations:
▪ American Red Cross – Donations to Red Cross Disaster Relief can be made at redcross.org, by calling 800-RED CROSS or by texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 ($10 donation).
▪ Salvation Army – Donating to Salvation Army Emergency and Disaster Services can be made at salvationarmycarolinas.org/flood, by calling 800-SALARMY or by texting the word STORM to 51555.
Collecting supplies?
If your church, school, business or civic group is collecting supplies in York, Chester or Lancaster counties, send your information to assignmentdesk@heraldonline.com, and we’ll help spread the word.
This story was originally published October 7, 2015 at 2:54 PM with the headline "‘They would do the same for us’: Rock Hill schools collect donations for SC flood victims."