Local efforts under way to help tsunami victims

When 23-year-old Sabrina Pollard heard of the countless number of people affected by the tsunamis in Asia and Africa, she didn't hesitate to ask the congregation of Connected church for help.

"We are a Nazarene church and have churches all over the world," Pollard said. "We have people who live in Sri Lanka who are friends of our church. At any time of crisis, we put together crisis-care kits."

Pollard is asking the community to help the Connected congregation collect items for the crisis-care kits. She's calling for bar soap, shampoo, hairbrushes, combs, toothbrushes, toothpaste, facial tissues, nail kits, hand towels and small stuffed animals to be placed into a 2-gallon Ziplock bag.

"The bags will be put into banana boxes and shipped to where the crisis is," Pollard said. She said the boxes will be driven from Carson City to Maryland on Feb. 21, where they will be then shipped overseas by Heart to Heart International, who partners with FedEx for deliveries.

Sabrina is the daughter of Rev. Steve Pollard, who heads to church.

"I think I'll end up driving the truck," the Rev. Pollard said. "It's kind of like a birthday present.

"For me, the present is to give these people these gifts. They are items not in immediate need, but will be eventually. These are like second-wave kits to be used."

The Pollards' goal is to collect enough kits to send six each in 200 boxes for a total of 1,200 kits.

"The response from the church was fantastic," Sabrina said.

Caroline Punches, Red Cross representative from the Reno office, accepted a $2,240 donation from the Carson City Noon Rotary Club toward the tsunami relief effort. Rotary Club President Rafael Cappucci presented the donation during the club's lunch meeting Tuesday at the Carson Nugget.

As of Thursday, Punches reported more than 800 Red Cross chapters had collected $150 million toward the tsunami relief effort in southeast Asia and Africa.

The Rev. Pollard said if anyone would like to donate one particular item in bulk, like toothbrushes or toothpaste from a dentist's office, it would be a tremendous help.

"They can either put together a complete kit or donate samples," he said. "We'll stack them into the care kits."

The church will accept donations from 9 a.m. to noon weekdays or anytime Sunday mornings, at 900 Mallory Way (off South Roop Street). It will also arrange for delivery or pickup of items through Feb. 20.

Contact Rhonda Costa-Landers at rcosta-landers@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1223.

YOU CAN HELP

Connected church

Help with Crisis Care Kits - bar soap, shampoo, hairbrushes, combs, toothbrushes, toothpaste, facial tissues, nail kits, hand towels and small stuffed animals. Donations accepted until Feb. 20 at Connected church, 900 Mallory Way. For information call 721-1736.

Fountainhead Foursquare Church

Send cash donations through Fountainhead Foursquare Church, www.fountainheadcc.org. Mail checks marked "Asia Earthquake Relief" to FFC, P.O. Box 2775, Carson City, NV 89702.

Smith's Food and Drug Store

Donations may be added to grocery orders at the 599 E. William St. Smith's Food and Drug Store using cash, check, credit or debit cards through Jan. 31. Donations will be forwarded to the American Red Cross International Response Fund. Donations are noted on register receipts for tax purposes.

Carson Valley

Carson Valley residents have several options to donate locally for tsunami relief:

• Minden Elementary School coin drive, through Jan. 19. Donations may be brought to the school, 1170 Baler St. For information, call 782-5510.

• Sierra Tsunami Relief Drive, P.O. Box 1344, Minden, NV, 89423. Donations will be sent to the Red Cross, Concern Worldwide and Samaritan's Purse. E-mail sierratsunamirelief@hotmail.com for information.

• St. Gall Catholic Church relief drive through this month. Donations may be brought to the church, 1343 Centerville Lane, Gardnerville. Checks may be made to St. Gall Catholic Church "tsunami relief." For information, call 782-2852.

Northstar and Sierra at Tahoe

Northstar and Sierra at Tahoe will donate $2 from every lift ticket purchased Monday to the American Red Cross.

TAX DEDUCTION

The Internal Revenue Service enacted a new law Jan. 7 allowing tsunami-relief contributions to be deducted as if they were made on Dec. 31, 2004. The law allows only for cash contributions made specifically for relief victims in areas affected by the Dec. 26, 2004, tsunami in the Indian Ocean. The taxpayer has the option of deducting the contribution on his or her 2004 or 2005 returns, but not both.

To be sure the contribution goes to a qualified charity, do a search on IRS.gov or www.usaid.gov/locations/asia_ near_east/tsunami/ngolist.html or www.usafreedomcorps.gov.