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Rogue Valley pours on help in crisis Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Barry Hewson of Eagle Point prepares to start work on a southeast Medford construction site near Golf View Drive and a sign that building framer Mike Dugas created. Dugas used neon locator paint for this patriotic slogan after hearing a Faith Hill rendition of "God Bless America" on the radio. By SCOTT SMITH Rogue Valley residents and businesses continue to donate money, blood and time in the aftermath of terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. In the largest donation to date locally, Lithia Motors announced it will contribute a total of $100,000 to the American Red Cross. "The members of the Lithia team are active members of the communities where we do business," said Sid DeBoer, Lithia's chief executive officer. "It is important for all of us to come to the aid of our friends and neighbors during this time of crisis. "While we have all been deeply affected by these horrifically random acts of violence, we didn't succumb. We have stuck together as a team to help our communities heal. We didn't let the terrorists win by shutting down and hiding." The contribution is in addition to the $25,000 raised from people stopping to donate at the Lithia Toyota dealership last week. That drive was sponsored by a number of local media outlets. "We're having a relatively good year and we want to help those in pain and suffering," said Jeff DeBoer, the company's chief financial officer. Elsewhere in the Rogue Valley, donations small and large continue to pour in: Medford Center TCBY manager Patty Wells and her employees donated their tips collected Monday through Thursday to the American Red Cross. Wells' son, sixth-grader Lucas, asked to put his Abraham Lincoln Elementary School Red Cross Dime Drive collection can on TCBY's counter, and Wells and her employees decided to join in. The Human Bean, which has six drive-up coffee stands locally, collected $3,127.15 on Friday by donating $1 of every espresso drink and 50 cents of every regular coffee to the Red Cross. Additional money was collected as cash donations, Human Bean co-owner Rhonda Hawkins said. Jacksonville's Cub Scout Pack 17 members raised more than $1,750 this weekend with the help of Central Point Boy Scout Troop No. 777. Their collections will benefit New York firefighters working at the scene of the World Trade Center. Other businesses collecting donations for the Red Cross include Wood Products Credit Union (at all 11 of its branches) and Eddie Bauer stores, including the store at the Rogue Valley Mall. Marj Jameson, executive director of the Rogue Valley chapter of the American Red Cross said she's not sure how much the Red Cross has received nationwide, "but it must be in the millions." Locally, "We've gotten in over $75,000 through Sunday," Jameson said. "We've had people doing donations all over town in little jars that we've placed here and there." Jameson said donations can be sent to the local Red Cross chapter at 60 Hawthorne St., Medford, OR 97504. Blood donations also are still needed, Jameson said. Last week in the first two days following the attacks, the local Red Cross drew more than 200 units of donated blood - nearly double what they would have drawn ordinarily. More information is available by calling the local Red Cross chapter at 779-3773. To schedule a blood donation, call the blood donation center at 773-3813 or the main number if the latter is busy. If you are involved in, or know of, other local efforts to aid the relief effort, please let us know by calling the Mail Tribune newsroom at 776-4400 or 776-4477. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.