Tsunami disaster relief goods will soon be on their way to American Samoa because 6-year-old Aislin McStay of St. Croix wanted to help the victims. “I want the people to feel happy,” she said.
It began with her telling her family that she learned about the tsunami in class at Country Day School. She said she wanted to help the victims some way, so her mom Alex McStay spearheaded the efforts to get needed donations to the victims.
“It makes us so happy to have her think of others,” Alex McStay says. “She has made us proud – all we have taught her about helping others has paid off.”
Pisita Harrison, who goes to St. Croix Christian Church with the McStays and was born in American Samoa, recalled that the previous manger of Cost U Less, Bill Lewis, had been transferred to a sister store in Samoa. McStay called Scott Ramsey, current manager at Cost U Less, and in no time Ramsey had arranged for a 20-foot container to be set up in the parking lot for collection of toys, clothing, books, and non-perishable food.
The outpouring of donations from the community that began Saturday filled that container, and made clear the need for a second. Volunteers from St. Croix Christian Church and Country Day helped load the container.
“I got in touch with our agent for Crowley in Florida and worked out the plan,” Ramsey said. “The containers will be shipped off island to Florida and then go across the states, probably by train, to the California coast and then off to Samoa,” Ramsey said. Cost U Less will pay for the shipping of the two 20-foot containers to American Samoa. He added he is pleased to be able to help since Cost U Less has the capabilities to work with the community.
“We will be collecting donations until the second container is full,” Ramsey says. Donations may be dropped off daily at the store from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m to 3 p.m.
McStay said monetary donations may be made and mailed or dropped off at St. Croix Christian Church in Orange Grove, located at the Caribbean Community Theater. She said to make a note of tsunami relief in the memo area of the check. McStay says the money will be used to get the donations to Independent Samoa, the hardest hit area and to buy any other supplies needed such as water.
“It’s amazing,” McStay said. “The giving has been fabulous. God has his hands on this – there is no other explanation.”
