Rotary members help families impacted by Oregon wildfires

CAMAS — Camas Washougal Rotary Club members delivered $9,430 worth of household goods to benefit about 800 families around Sublimity, Ore., who were devastated by the Santiam Canyon Fire. Rotary members coordinated with the Santiam Canyon Wildfire Relief Fund to raise money and assemble supplies for families. On Nov. 14, a group of 11 Rotary members delivered essential items including space heaters, brooms, rain suits, tarps, batteries, flashlights, linens, 20 bags of clothes and toys, and other items to families in need. “Our local Rotarians in Camas and Washougal were deeply moved by the plight of our neighbors to the south. In Southwest Washington we have also been impacted by wildfires, so answering the call for help from our neighbors in Sublimity was not a difficult decision,” club President Richard Renton said in a news release. “When the opportunity arose, we rallied together club members and local businesses to help.” Grants from the rotary club, the Rotary District 5100, the Camas Washougal Rotary Foundation, Lutz Hardware and other private donations made the effort possible. “What really hit home was when we arrived with our loads of supplies, one of the relief volunteers pulled me aside and said, ‘That you came so far to help means so much. Just you being here tells us we are not forgotten,'” Rotary Foundation President Kathy Bussman said.