'That's Stillwater': Local agencies provide aid, donations pour in
For Red Cross disaster action team member Kate Mase, helping others in crisis seems to come naturally. She served as a Red Cross volunteer during Hurricane Katrina, where she said she learned a lot.
'Since that experience back in 2005, I've always wanted to be a part of (it) again,' Mase said. 'Now I am, and I'm very grateful for it. … Some people sell it short or don't understand (the work they do), but I am the 'Red Cross.' They are (pointing to other workers) the 'Red Cross,' every person in here that's busting their butts and losing sleep to help other people.'
About 115 residents had found shelter overnight at the Payne County Expo Center, Stillwater Emergency Management Director Rob Hill said.
Amber Lewis
Red Cross volunteer Amber Lewis stops for a photo while organizing donations at the Payne County Expo Center.
Mase said some residents left the center — where all evacuees were bussed for overnight stays — around 4:30 a.m. after evacuation alerts lifted and it was safe to do so, while other families waited to return due to unsafe conditions.
'It's not easy to sleep in a shelter,' Mase said.
A few families were still taking shelter at the center mid-morning on Saturday.
'We're still taking care of them, (and) also accepting donations for tornado season, or whatever these people need for the long haul,' Mase said.
Andy Dzialowski
Andy Dzialowski organizes donations at the Stillwater Armory on Saturday.
Mase said all morning long, people had brought donations.
'We're taking those in (and) our hearts are warmed up, and so are the people staying here,' Mase said, adding that a volunteer had gone to get a teenager a frappuccino upon request. 'Red Cross really is about community, bringing the community together — those who have lost or who are suffering with those who can help them. We're a conduit for that.
'Disasters are very fluid, and the key to walking through them as somebody who's helping is to be fluid, too, and say, 'This is about right now, keeping you safe, warm and taking care of your children and keeping a mental awareness, but a calmness for your family and for your children, especially.'
Red Cross Community Disaster Program Manager Stephen Duke confirmed with the News Press that evacuees had been bussed to the Expo Center. As they assessed the situation, they realized a need for a better overnight shelter.
'So, we moved all the evacuation centers here and opened it up as a shelter,' Duke said.
Duke said the Expo Center would be open all day Saturday, Sunday and as the need arises.
'I think tonight we'll know more,' Duke said.
As high winds and possible pop-up fires are predicted again over the weekend, Duke said the Red Cross is in communication with local agencies, emergency managers, the county and the City.
Red cross truck
A red cross truck is parked outside the Community Building at the Payne County Expo Center on Saturday. The center will be open Saturday night for overnight stays as needed.
'They're constantly monitoring that and we're communicating with them,' he said.
A new regional Red Cross office opened at Seventh Avenue and Main Street a few months ago, next door to District Bicycles. The office serves residents from northern Oklahoma and parts of Kansas, Mase said.
Red Cross location
The Red Cross regional office is located at Seventh Avenue and Main Street next door to District Bicycles.
'We are looking for more volunteers,' Mase said. 'We would love that so much — especially going through tornado season that's coming.'
Oklahoma State University students are welcome to come and use the space for studying, Mase said, and 'maybe they'll be inspired to help the community, too.'
Stillwater Armory
When the Stillwater Armory opened its doors for donations from 1-6 p.m. Saturday, Stillwater Area Sports Association Executive Director Carolyn Walstad said there were 20 cars already lined up.
The Armory will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday for residents in need.
Within a little more than an hour of opening, donations were pouring in and the steady stream hadn't slowed, Walstad told the News Press.
'Stillwater came out,' Walstad said. 'It was so humbling at 1 p.m. when we opened. We really didn't know what to expect.'
The City had reached out to Walstad to ask to use the location for donations. Piles of water, fruit, snacks, canned goods, personal hygiene products and dog and cat food sat on tables and were stacked on the floor across the west end of the building.
'This is a fabulous place for easy drop-off,' Walstad said. 'Patrons can come tomorrow and take what they need.'
Walstad said City employees had been 'so kind' and carrying donations inside so donors didn't have to.
Walstad said she has moments when the reality of what happened hits her and she gets emotional, but the kindness displayed by people in Stillwater — such as her friend whose house almost burned and yet came to donate water — has been helping her cope.
'That's Stillwater,' she said.
The donations at the Armory were Stillwater Vice Mayor Amy Dzialowski's project on Saturday.
Andy Dzialowski
Andy Dzialowski organizes donations at the Stillwater Armory on Saturday.
"Our community is full of helping hands, and we're just working to try to focus that support," Dzialowski said.
She said the focus is in three different areas — providing an email for community members who have been displaced to list their needs so that the City can resource those needs out to community members, churches and nonprofits who can meet them.
Residents are asked to email stillwaterstrongrelief@gmail.com and put NEED in the subject line.
The second focus is the donation pickup Sunday.
The third focus is providing a group of therapy dogs for people, as well as mental health services from Grand Mental Health, who will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at the Armory.
Dzialowski said United Way of Payne County will also be setting up a direct link for monetary donations at unitedwaypaynecounty.org/.
'I know that everyone just wants to find a way to help, and sometimes that's the very best way to help,' she said. 'And we know that with United Way that those dollars will stay local here, so we can direct those funds specifically to those that need them.'
Dzialowski said Friday's focus was on keeping the community as informed as possible and staying on top of the communication flow, which was 'nearly impossible.' Saturday, the City's focus was on providing needed resources.
'I'm always overwhelmed by the support of our community,' she said. 'So many churches opened up shelters, so many places made themselves available for food and shelter. That was happening naturally and organically throughout our community last night. This is what Stillwater does. We know how to show up.'
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