Message in a barrel

ML Senior Center Thrift Store sends 120 barrels of donated relief items to tsunami victims

MOSES LAKE — When World Concern, a nonprofit agency out of Lynwood, Wash., called the Senior Center Thrift Store in Moses Lake to request donations for victims of the tsunami that devastated 11 nations on the Indian Ocean, there was no hesitation.

"When there is a crisis, no matter where it's at we give them whatever we can," said Carry Liles, manager of the thrift store.

In the back store room of the thrift store, more barrels await to be sent, in addition to the approximately 120 barrels of blankets and undergarments that Liles estimates have already been shipped out.

Included in those shipments were empty barrels which were sent to provide storage for food donations.

Most recently World Concern has asked for additional donations of tents and tarps, although Liles said if donors bring in other relief items for tsunami victims, the thrift store will ship those as well.

Among the recent donations are also overstock items brought in last year to the thrift store which will be sent to Indonesia.

"People that have donated and have been faithful to us (in the past) are helping," Liles said, making the point that by supporting the Senior Center Thrift Store the community is also supporting its senior citizens as well as humanitarian efforts such as the tsunami relief.

For center volunteers like Bob Brooks whose niece is currently teaching in Thailand, offering his time to spend a few hours during the week to fill barrels of clothes for tsunami victims is a way for him to connect with his niece and others in Southeast Asia.

"We're blessed in this country," Brooks said. "The people over there really need our help and all that we can give."

And giving of their time and talents is a characteristic of volunteers in general that Liles said enables centers like the thrift store to offer humanitarian aid when a crisis such as the tsunami disaster strike.

"(Volunteers) are valuable and we cannot run this place without them," Liles said.

Donations can be dropped off at the Senior Center Thrift Store in Moses Lake from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.