Donation drive held at CUSD for Rough Fire

The nearby Rough Fire has burned more than 143,000 acres and two weeks ago, Clovis school bus driver Cathy French decided she needed to do something to help those affected by the blaze.

“I was at Dollar Tree and I saw some ladies buying some products,” French said. “I thought she was going to wrap them up and mail them for the soldiers because it was all little trial-size stuff, but she told me she was donating them to the Rough Fire for the firefighters.”

French had been part of a bus-packing donation drive in 2005 to benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina and decided to organize a similar effort for Rough Fire fighters.

“It just struck my heart,” French said. “I needed to help.”

French informed the school district of her idea and asked for permission to use a school bus. On Sept. 16, she was given final approval and went ahead with planning.

A school bus was parked in front of the Clovis Unified School District office at the southeast corner of Sunnyside and Herndon on Sept. 19 and 20. The bus returned the next weekend and parked at the same spot on Sept. 26 and 27.

Volunteers helped unload donations from vehicles and load them onto the bus.

“Our goal is to fill the bus completely, with anything and everything,” French said, near the end of the first weekend’s donation drive.

The aims of the donation drive expanded since it was first conceived.

“We’re not just showing the love to the firefighters,” French said. “We’ve also included the victims because they’ve lost everything: they’ve had their homes burnt the ground.”

French estimates that more than 100 cars stopped to offer donations of supplies or money during the first weekend.

Ellen Nickell was among those who donated on Sept. 20 after hearing about the donation effort on social media.

“I just think it’s horrible and we’re just here to do what we can to help those that have been affected,” Nickell said.

Volunteers hung a banner over the bus where donors offered their thanks to volunteers for organizing the donation drive.

“We’ve tried to have everybody sign - put a little mark or picture - our banner over here,” French said.

Donated items will be distributed at a donation site, likely at a church or school, to be determined in the next week or so, French said.

Boxes of baby wipes, toothbrushes, clothes and other household items were among the items requested.

Thirteen-year-old Alejandro Gonzalez volunteered to help collect donations from vehicles, along with his aunt.

Gonzalez has followed news reports of the fire and was motivated to help out.

“It’s a tragedy what’s happening,” he said.

French has been happy to see the support her efforts have received.

“It’s just been a really cool thing,” French said. “It’s been awesome.”

This story was originally published September 29, 2015 at 5:06 PM with the headline "Donation drive held at CUSD for Rough Fire."