1. Help the people of Saint Tammany Parish and the surrounding communities.
2. Donate Supplies :: 327 Aylesford Place (between Maxwell & Euclid) :: 9/11/05 to 9/16/05
3. Forward this email to friends

9/9/05 :: 2:25PM
Dear Lexington,

We have experienced a national tragedy. Everyone amongst us has the desire to help and the means to help. It is as simple as going to your big box store of choice, buying supplies, and bringing them to The Lexicon Project headquarters: 327 Aylesford Place, Lexington, KY (between Maxwell & Euclid)

A grassroots, volunteer-run group stationed just outside New Orleans is taking up a collection and calling for help. Organized by a group of military veterans (Veterans for Peace, Chapter 116), they have driven from California to Covington, Louisiana in an old school bus. They have been on the ground since last Friday working alongside the Red Cross (the veterans' generator was running medical equipment until electricity was restored) and are delivering goods to the surrounding communities, to Mississippi, and even into New Orleans.

Here is what they need:

Bottled Water
Canned Goods
Baby Supplies - Baby Food Formula, diapers #4, #5, Wipes, Pedialyte
Hygene Supplies
Adult Depends
Sterile Gloves
Electrolytes
LARGE cans of veggies
School supplies
Paper plates, paper towels, toilet paper
Self contained kitchens with generators, utensils, workers

Many of us have given money to the Red Cross but still feel there is more to be done. Many of us haven't given money to anyone because we are wary of where that money will ultimately go. All of us want a concrete way to help these people who have lost everything. Here's how:

1. Choose an item or items from the list above.
2. Go to Sam's Club or K-Mart or wherever and buy as much of that item as you like (one roll of paper towels or a jumbo pack of diapers, everything will help!).
3. Drop off your donation at 327 Aylesford Place, between Maxwell & Euclid. Anytime of day, from Sunday (September 11th) to Friday (September 16th).
4. Spread the word -- you can help even more by sending this email to your friends, by going through your cell phone and calling everyone you know, and by volunteering your time here in Lexington to hand out flyers and spread the word.

The good folks in Louisiana and Mississippi need our help. Each of us can chip in just a little and together we can reach out, from one community to another.

If you would like to volunteer your time to spread word of this relief effort to others in Lexington and the neighboring counties this weekend, please send an email to: david@lexiconproject.com.

We need people who can pack their cars and trucks full of goods and drive down to Covington next weekend to drop off the donations. Please send an email to: david@lexiconproject.com.

If you know someone who owns a tractor trailer or other large vehicle, ask them to help.

Lexington, we can help the victims of this tragedy in a real and immediate way. You don't have to give money, you just have to lend a hand and make an extra trip to the store.

If you can take off work or school and want to volunteer your time in Louisiana, do it. They need your help. Go here for more details: www.vfproadtrips.org.

The time is now, Lexington. There's 300,000 of us. How much good can we do? Let's get it on.

----The Lexicon Project: A one year exploration of community----
David Schankula
Jonathan Rodgers
Marcie Crim
Richie Wireman
www.lexiconproject.com

DROP ITEMS OFF AT: 327 Aylesford Place, Lexington KY, 40508

PS: Another good idea for what to send are Family Packs.

PS: Should you be wary of this effort? No. The Lexicon Project has many needs, but if you bring us a crate of baby food, we promise that baby food will get to babies in Katrina stricken areas. We won't even pilfer a roll of toilet paper. Everything you give will go to the Veterans for Peace in Covington, Louisiana and from them to those in need.

PPS: Why the Veterans for Peace? Why can't we just give stuff to the Red Cross? The Veterans for Peace are the only grassroots, community driven group on the ground in this area. They are working tirelessly around the clock to deliver food and supplies to people who have lost everything. We can send these items to the Veterans for Peace and these products will end up in the right hands. The Red Cross is not accepting food and supply donations, only money -- to donate to the Red Cross, please go here.

PPPS: Sending out an SOS, sending out an SOS, sending out an SOS