A Call To Help
It began with a call to help. Gina asked her husband, Terry, who works for MG Moving Services, if they would be willing to send a truck to Houston to help those devastated by Hurricane Harvey. Terry brought it up with Brett, who owns the Sterling, VA-based moving company, and he said, “If we’re going to send a truck, let’s make it a long-distance tractor trailer.”
“Fill the Truck!” word spread and calls came from the entire Northern Virginia area from individuals wanting to help. MG Moving corporate headquarters served as the main collection center while schools, churches, synagogues and local businesses acted as satellite locations. Media partners, Loudoun Times-Mirror and WINC 92.5 FM, provided public service announcements to let people know about the event and when the truck was leaving for Texas. Read the newspaper’s write-up.
The Collection Run
Two days before blast-off, MG Moving sent smaller 26′ straight trucks to gather local donations. One location alone, Century 21 Redwood Realty, gathered over 53,000 diapers, 40,000 baby wipes, 49,000 ounces of baby formula, 1000 pounds of dog food, 40 gallons of bleach, plus countless toiletries, dog beds, adult diapers, cleaning supplies, trash bags, water… the list goes on and on.
Sorting & Loading
On September 14th, after the day’s moving crews were dispatched, the MG Moving parking lot was transformed into a giant sorting area. Friends, families, local business volunteers, and the entire Briar Woods High School Football Team sorted and loaded donations onto the long distance trailer.
Drive & Deliver
The next day, over 33,580 pounds of goodwill, collected by families, schools & local businesses was driven over 1,500 miles from Sterling, Virginia to three Relief Centers in Houston, Texas, where the donations were distributed to those in need. To all who helped, your contributions of time, money & hard work made a lasting difference.
Special thanks to Gina Tufano, Andrea Vaccarelli, Eric & Janet Pearson and the agents at Pearson Smith Realty; Rebecca Vittitow and the agents at Century 21 Redwood Realty; Shawn Springs, Off the Field Players’ Wives Association, Briar Woods High School Football Team & Key Club, Tuscarora High School, Bishop O’Connell High School Dance Team, Horizon, Round Hill, Emerick Elementary Schools, Congregation Sha’are Shalom, WINC 92.5 FM, Loudoun Times-Mirror, ABC News 7, Lend A Box, 123JUNK, Home Works Painting, MVB Bank, Blue Ridge Vet Associates, Evergreen Sportsplex, Reston Limo, Lost Rhino Brewing Company, Winwood Children’s Ctr, InCourage Martial Arts, Office of Walbridge & Gooditis, and many others. #HoustonStrong
ABC 7 News Coverage – 9/14/2017
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