Community responds to flood relief efforts for southern Louisiana

ALBANY — Investigators with the Albany Utility Board loaded 50 cases of bottled water into an Air Pro Heating and Cooling van Friday. The donation from utilities employees is bound for flood-ravaged victims in south Louisiana.

Air Pro is one of two area flood recovery collection sites, the other being World Camp CrossFit. Air Pro’s Hope Freeman said the donations will be loaded onto a larger truck, which will head to Louisiana by the end of next week. That trip will be the group’s second recovery delivery.

In addition to bottled water, the group is also asking for dry pet food, baby and adult diapers, baby formula, heavy duty trash bags, now toiletry items, and new socks and underwear.

The donation drive is being spearheaded by Chris Block and Cindy Kyzar, who both have family in the flood zone.

“I’ve been very pleased with the response from people,” Kyzar said. “We started a little over two weeks ago, and things just snowballed. While Air Pro and World Camp CrossFit have been collection points, once word began to get out I had people bringing donations to me. My garage is full.”

While the suggested items are still needed, Kyzar said she has seen a shift in donation requests as flood waters recede.

“Now we are getting a lot of requests for cleaning supplies,” she said. “People need mops, buckets, brooms and work gloves. Oh, and please do not send used clothes. Right now they don’t have the manpower to sort through all the old clothes.”

Kyzar said the group will be accepting donations until late next week at Air Pro, located at 1275 U.S. Highway 82 in Leesburg, and World Camp CrossFit, at 2711-B Dawson Road in Albany.