Fallbrookians can help Texas residents

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, Fallbrook resident Roger Boddaert is collecting items to send to Texans in need. He set up a collection stand at the foot of his driveway, 1175 Riverview Dr., (off East Mission, near the end of Riverview, look for the flagpole) on Aug. 28 and started spreading the word.

The Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce pitched in by creating flyers which were posted by several businesses in Fallbrook on Aug. 30. Bit by bit, more and more donated items are being dropped off. By Friday morning, Sept. 1, Boddaert counted 15 packed boxes and lots of plastic bags filled with donated items.

He said a local couple has volunteered to take some of it with them on their upcoming trip to Texas and a military connection is checking out the possibility of military transport while the Salvation Army and Red Cross are willing to accept the items for Texas residents.

With several options available for transporting them to Texas, Boddaert has established a deadline of Friday, Sept. 15 for the drop off of items at his collection site.

Suggested items include clothing, flashlights/batteries, kids' toys and books, blankets, towels, boots/shoes, socks, jackets, toothbrushes, hair brushes and combs. Nonperishable items like canned soup, nuts and dog food are also needed. Boddaert was contacted by a crochet group which will donate 40 blankets to the cause. Sturdy shipping boxes are also needed for the donations and can be dropped off at the same place.

When asked why he is holding the collection, he said, "I'm a human being, they need help. Let's help them however we can."

For more information, call Boddaert at (760) 728-4297 or email him at [email protected].