Relief truck set to head south

Panel targets Tuesday departure.

By: Joseph Harvie
   A small Gulf Coast town that was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, needs help.
   The city of D’Iberville, Miss., which some in South Brunswick say was lost in the shuffle when aid was being distributed to the Gulf Coast region, has been targeted by the township as the recipient of aid, and a truck of supplies is expected to be sent to the area on Tuesday.
   Supplies collected will be sent by FedEx, which has donated a truck and driver for the first shipment, according to Ron Schmalz, township public affairs coordinator.
   The drive is being coordinated by South Brunswick Rallies for Relief, a township-sponsored commission that was established by Ellen Gambatese, wife of Mayor Frank Gambatese.
   The commission selected D’Iberville because members were looking to help a small town that received little aid following the hurricane.
   Ms. Gambatese said Al Nardi, a member of St. Cecilia’s chapter of the Knights of Columbus and a member of Rallies for Relief, had heard of D’Iberville’s situation from officials in Long Beach, Miss., a town to which Mr. Nardi and others recently sent help. D’Iberville, is a Gulf Coast city of about 8,000 people,
   The township is collecting everything from canned food, school supplies and sports equipment to plumbing and hardware items such as channel locks, pipe wrenches and shovels.
   Items can be dropped off at the South Brunswick Municipal Garage, located behind the new Utilities Building on Route 522 Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
   Mr. Nardi said anyone interested in volunteering can go to the Municipal Garage on Saturday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to help box and label the donated items.
   The goods would be shipped by FedEx of South Brunswick, which donated a truck and will deliver them to D’Iberville for free Mr. Schmalz said.
   Tag Pallet of Monmouth Junction donated pallets for the items and Southern Container of Dayton donated boxes, tape and shipping wrap for the cause, Mr. Schmalz said.
   Mr. Schmalz said this would be the first delivery to the area but that items will continue to be collected because there will be more deliveries in the future.
   He said members from South Brunswick Rallies for Relief are planning on traveling to Mississippi to meet the people of D’Iberville.
   Nearly 80 percent of the town was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, including the elementary school, the municipal building and the recreation center.
   Members of South Brunswick Rallies for Relief include Mayor Frank Gambatese, schools Superintendent Gary McCartney, South Brunswick Schools Public Information Officer Rebecca Leonard, South Brunswick Post Managing Editor Hank Kalet, Mr. Nardi of the Knights of Columbus Council 7046 of St. Cecilia’s R.C. Church, Ed Peloquin of the township’s Health Board, nurse Danie Peloquin, Art Roedel of Monmouth Mobile Homes, South Brunswick police Detective James Ryan, Marlene Scanlon of the St. Vincent DePaul Society of St. Augustine of Canterbury R.C. Church, township Social Service Director LouAnne Wolf, Councilman Chris Killmurray and Mr. Schmalz.
   A list of items that need to be donated will be updated weekly in the South Brunswick Post and on the township’s Web site www.sbtnj.net.