Fundraisers across Longview and Kalama raised money for families impacted by the Nippon Dynawave accident that killed 11 people.
LONGVIEW, Wash. — At Bob’s Sporting Goods in downtown Longview, a line wrapped around the parking lot for a community barbecue to raise money for the families affected by the paper mill disaster.
“People just keep coming, and it’s unreal to us that something that was thrown together Thursday night everybody showed up to,” said Terry Carlson, president of the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Central Labor Council.
Longview is hurting after 11 of their own were killed after a tank imploded at the Nippon Dynawave facility Tuesday.
So, at Saturday’s community barbecue, people were encouraged to “pay what they can,” with all proceeds going to the families impacted by the accident.
“It’s heartbreaking when such an integral part of the community and so many people in the community experience that level of loss, so it’s really encouraging to see when the rest of the community steps up and wants to take care of everybody and setting all differences aside,” Longview resident Chelsea Chandler said.
Across town, multiple vendors at the Cowlitz Community Farmers Market, including Easy Peasy Lemonade, were donating some of their proceeds to the families.
“I was laying in bed on Tuesday, the day it happened, and I just knew I had to do something to contribute to it, so this is the only way I could really help in some way,” said Lindsay Dines, owner of Easy Peasy Lemonade.
Fifty percent of Easy Peasy’s proceeds are going straight to helping the families.
People KGW spoke with in line were touched by the act of kindness, some grabbing a lemonade specifically after seeing the fundraiser posted online, the tragedy too raw for them to talk about.
“A lot of new faces I haven’t seen,” Dines said. “I’m here every Saturday, but a lot of new faces that just came out because they know local businesses are wanting to help in the small way that they can for the families.”
Even down in Kalama, people wanted to do what they could to help.
“Absolutely heartbreaking,” Red Leaf Coffee Kalama owner Madi Allis said. “I feel like in times like these, there’s not a whole lot you can do other than coming together, and I feel like we are community strong through and through. We always come together, and right now, that’s what we need to do.”
Allis said 100% of their Sunday sales at the Kalama Red Leaf location will go to the affected families.
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