Dubuque to "Stuff the Bus" for Flood Victims

By Katie Wiedemann, Reporter

Tools

By Katie Wiedemann

Story Created: Aug 7, 2008 at 4:17 PM CST

Story Updated: Aug 7, 2008 at 4:17 PM CST

Dubuque - Employees at Dubuque's Kennedy Mall want to help fill those back-to school needs for flood victims.
The mall is asking people to donate backpacks and school supplies by the end of next week.
A school bus full of supplies will then hit the road to Cedar Rapids.
When mall manager Cindy Kohlmann sent out the call asking young flood victims what they need for back to school, the response made her sad.

Kohlmann said, "One of the lists that we gotten from these kids, one of their biggest wants and needs, they wanted a new pair of socks."

Now the backpacks full of school supplies are flowing in to the mall's customer service counter.

Kohlmann said, "This person has donated, we've got the Crayola and inside we've got the person in fact listed everything they have given."

As an incentive to donate items the mall is giving away free movie passes to its August 16th showing of "'Toon Take Over".

But Kohlmann says most of the donors are not motivated by the movie passes.

Kohlmann said, "The difference between Eastern Iowa and the rest of the country is that we see ourselves as one community whether you are living in Dubuque or Cedar Rapids."

It's been a long summer for many young flood victims whose home was damaged or destroyed by the flood.
Kohlmann said, "You know we'd like to less than burden."

By helping young flood victims start the school year off right, so a kid can just be a kid who doesn't worry about not having socks.

Next Article Cedar Falls Native Wounded in Afghan Explosion

Conversation Guidelines

Be Kind

Don't use abusive, offensive, threatening, racist, vulgar or sexually-oriented language.
Don't attack someone personally. Keep it civil and be responsible.

Share Knowledge

Be truthful. Share what you know and what you are passionate about.
What more do you want to learn? Keep it simple.

Stay focused

Promote lively and healthy debate. Stay on topic. Ask questions and give feedback on the story's topic.

Report Trouble

Help us maintain a quality comment section by reporting comments that are offensive. If you see a comment that is offensive, or you feel violates our guidelines, simply click on the "x" to the far right of the comment to report it.

read the full guidelines here »

Commenting will be disabled on stories dealing with the following subject matter: Violent crime, sexual abuse, Amber Alerts, Operation Quickfinds and suicides.