By Joe Bachman

WISCONSIN RAPIDS — While 1,200 miles separate Wisconsin Rapids and Houston and the catastrophic effects of Hurricane Harvey, any local resident can still do their part to help victims.

Over 24.5 trillion gallons of rain have fallen in the southwest Texas region, breaking the rainfall record for any tropical storm with 51.88 inches worth, according to the National Weather Service in Houston. This 1,000 year event has displaced 17,000 people, and has claimed over 40 lives.

Various local efforts have been started to mobilize help to be sent off to Texas for hurricane victims.

A LuLaRoe Fundraiser for Disaster Relief will be held this Sunday at noon, 1030 Chestnut St. According to their Facebook event page: “LuLaRoe matches donations once we reach a certain number in sales so that our minimum goal (about 45 pieces). I am going to need the help of you all to spread the word to make this a successful outreach!”

For more information, please check out https://www.facebook.com/events/276514569501271

Donation boxes are out at various local grocery stores in efforts to fill semi-trucks to drive to Houston. Copps in Plover, 1850 Plover Rd. will have a box out on Friday morning, and Mid-State Technical College, 500 32nd St. North, will have boxes ready for donation on Tuesday. This is the sasme for their Stevens Point location, 1001 Center Point Dr. The Christmas Museum, 2340 Chestnut St. will be taking donations on Monday through Thursday.

Texas area hospitals are in dire need of blood, especially Type O, and you can give blood at the VFW Post 2534, 2711 Reddin Rd. on Sept. 11. For more information, check out VFW to Host Blood Drive to Benefit Hurricane Harvey Victims

Ponderosa Pines, 287 WI-73, has also been in the process of filling a semi-truck to send to Houston. You can contact them at 715-335-2267. Wisconsin native and Houston Texans star J.J. Watt has raised over $13 million so far in his efforts to help flood victims. You can help him at https://www.youcaring.com/victimsofhurricaneharvey-915053

For more ways to help online, please check out these sites taking donations:

http://volunteerhouston.org/
http://mailchi.mp/ac80c17d9660/harvey-food-banks
https://adrn.org/disaster-relief/hurricaneharvey/
http://coastalbendcan.org/cbdrg
http://www.texasdiaperbank.org/

If you know of local businesses or charities contributing to relief efforts, please let us know at jbachman@mmclocal.com, or comment on Facebook.