Dundee helps 'Sandy' storm victims

    DUNDEE—The Gibbs family has already donated three carloads of supplies to northeast storm Sandy victims in New Jersey and will be taking a U-Haul truck down this Saturday, Nov. 17, for a fourth trip.
    The devastated areas are important to the Gibbs family because they use to live in New Jersey. The family now lives in Dundee. Daughter Shannon Gibbs said, “when Sandy hit we saw pictures online of the places we went as kids.” Gibbs said she started with a Facebook page seeking donations. The family had enough to drive down a car full of supplies last Sunday, Monday and Wednesday.
   “Carloads, as much as we can,” said Gibbs about they took down.
   The family put signs on the roadside of their home in Dundee, asking people to leave donations on the porch. Despite the three trips already, the family’s porch was still full of items this past Saturday, Nov. 10, when Fran and Tom Willis dropped off a truckload of more donations. These were stored in the garage with even more piles of clothes and supplies.
   Fran and Tom Willis had left a truck parked outside the Dundee Area Youth Center last Friday with a sign asking people to put donations in the back for Sandy victims. By Saturday morning it was full. As the Willises loaded up the items, several people stopped and asked how they could donate supplies.
   These items will be delivered by the Gibbs family this Saturday. Shannon Gibbs said a U-Haul truck was donated for them to use this Saturday. She said the family has spent many nights until midnight sorting through clothes. Her mother, Cathy Gibbs, said of all the donations, only one grocery bag’s worth of clothes was unusable.
   “The porch filled up three times,” said Cathy Gibbs. “It’s worth it.”
   The family is no longer seeking clothes items, except for hats and gloves. Shannon Gibbs said they need food and baby supplies, like diapers and formula. She added one other way the family is going to help the victims is by donating blood to the Red Cross. Saturday’s trip may not be the last delivery either.
   “We’ll keep delivering as long as there’s stuff,” said Gibbs.