Lions Club sets up new aid distribution center

David Colburn

COOK – For the past two weeks, Cook fire trucks have been parked on city streets as the Cook Fire Hall became the center of flood relief efforts. But the vehicles will be back in their bays after the Cook Lions Club opened a new location for supplies and equipment Monday in the former Franks Pharmacy building on River St.
“I had heard that Franks wasn’t going to return to that building because they were planning to open at their new location in late July or early August,” said Lions Club President Steve Kajala. “I said, ‘Hey, would you be interested in letting us use the building?’ We talked about it, they slept on it, and we agreed on a month-to-month lease at a very, very reasonable rate.”
Volunteers last week worked to clean up extensive damage inside the building, which was under 4 feet of water at the height of the flood. Kajala called the half-dozen volunteers who came to help “miracle workers” who hauled out broken shelves, ripped out carpets, disinfected the building and used fans and dehumidifiers to dry things so they could move into the building.
The site is not only a place for the free cleaning supplies and the loaner vacuum cleaners, pressure washers and dehumidifiers that the club has purchased with donations, but also a place where those affected by the flood can pick up donated household items, Kajala said.
“Many people have offered us things and I have asked them to be patient until we call everyone together,” said Kajala. “We have chairs, sofas, tables, working equipment, anything that people bring.”
All items are provided free of charge to those in need. Kajala pointed out that they do not accept mattresses, however.
The club’s account at North Star Credit Union continues to receive financial donations. Kajala reached out to Lions Club International, with its global experience in disaster relief, for guidelines on how to use the donations responsibly and equitably. The international organization donated $10,000 to help Cook recover.
“We don’t write anyone a check, but we help them with the things they need,” Kajala said.
The flood has also prompted Lions Club members to think about what they could do locally to help the fire service. Kajala said they would work with Shane Johnson to determine what the fire service needs to expand its disaster response equipment and would look into how additional funding could be provided to do so.
“We will take a closer look at this when the dust settles,” Kajala said. “Hopefully there will never be another flood this bad, but it could happen tomorrow. We want to come out of this as a stronger community, stronger and better prepared.”