Clark County businesses continue to aid Katrina victims

Local and regional businesses and organizations continue to put forth people power and monetary resources to assist those who have been affected by the recent hurricane and subsequent flooding on the Gulf Coast. Following is an abbreviated list of some of the latest efforts. Has your business contributed to the rescue and clean up efforts? Let us know by emailing a short description of your service action to editorial@vbjusa.com

· The Vancouver Rotary Club raised $8,839 in one meeting on Sept. 7 for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, which the Vancouver Rotary Foundation has matched, bringing the clubs total contribution to $17,678.

· Washington Mutual Bank has set up Washington Cares, a fund established with Gov. Christine Gregoire. Donations can be made at any Washington Mutual branch, and will go to the Red Cross.

· Camas Meadows Golf Club will host a Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Golf Tournament on Oct. 16 at 9 a.m. It will be a Shotgun Start with dinner, awards and auction to follow. 100 percent of the $125 entry fee and all sponsorships will be donated to the Salvation Army. There will be a silent and live auction. Contact Troy Couch at 360-833-2000 ext 119 or e-mail at tcouch@camasmeadows.com.

· Columbia Machine Inc. is donating $10,000 each to Northwest Medical Teams, P.O. Box 10 Portland OR 97207; Salvation Army, P.O. Box 5559 Vancouver WA 98668; and American Red Cross, 3114 East Fourth Plain Blvd. Vancouver WA 98661. The company will match the donations for the three organizations up to an additional $10,000. Make checks payable to one or more of the above organizations noting "COLMAC/Katrina" on the check. Northwest Medical Teams is encouraging online donations at www.nwmedicalteams.org. Write "COLMAC/Katrina" in the comments section.

· Banner Bank opened a specific donation account, and will divide proceeds between the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. Visit the East Vancouver Branch at 3100 S.E. 164th Ave.

· Wells Fargo has doubled its team member matching program to $500,000 nationally. The bank previously donated $500,000 to the American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund and then gave another $250,000 to match its team members’ gifts.

Customers have donated more than $275,000 to date through specific accounts.

· Shilo Inns welcomed evacuees relocated to the Pacific Northwest, providing shelter, food, clothing and prepaid cell phones to the arriving families. The company has donated over $15,000 in cash and supplies, including 10,000 bottles of water to a Baton Rouge shelter.

· Local officials are also traveling to the site to help in the recovery, Tami Kihs, Vancouver Emergency Services manager, Tom Griffith, director of the Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency and Chris Herrman, CRESA Emergency Management project manager, are in Baton Rouge, La., to assist in the relief effort.

To contribute to the ongoing effort, contact The Community Foundation for Southwest Washington by calling 360.694.2550 or donate online at www.cfsww.org. Or contact the American Red Cross Southwest Washington Chapter by calling 360-693-5821.