'Colossal' Bel Air Donation Drive Helps Harvey Victims

BEL AIR, MD - Pet supplies, bottled water and nonperishable food items streamed into the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company's firehouse on Hickory Avenue Wednesday during a one-day donation drive for those impacted by Tropical Storm Harvey.

Since it first made landfall Friday as a Category 4 storm, Harvey has been linked to more than 30 deaths. Houston shelters were filled with more than 30,000 evacuees from neighborhoods now underwater after more than 50 inches of rain fell in some areas.

Community members in Bel Air wanted to help, and Rich Gardiner of the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company captured their kindness on camera. "So this is just basically colossal," Gardiner said.

When the fire company collected supplies for Baltimore City after the 2015 riots, there was "nowhere near this amount of donations," Gardiner said. "Just take a look at everything."

The donation drive closed at 8 p.m. Wednesday after the firehouse was filled several times over.

"Some may think America is divided but today we were truly united," one Bel Air Patch reader posted on Facebook. "I have to say I am SO honored to be a part of such a generous community."

Next, a tractor-trailer will take the donations from Bel Air to Texas.

The original tractor-trailer that was supposed to take the items to Texas had to back out at the last minute, and another company volunteered to step in and take its place.

Those who missed the donation drive at the firehouse can also take items to The Mill locations in Bel Air and Whiteford.

Know of other donation drives? Tell us in the comments or post them on the Patch calendar!

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Main photo courtesy of the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company.