Items headed for Texas
BUTLER TWP — Standing beside an open bay full of donated goods, Buddy Hindman answered the phone Wednesday afternoon.
One of his drivers from Hindman Trucking Co., the one assigned to deliver all the donations they've collected over the past week to Texas, called with the weight.
Including the weight of the 53-foot tractor-trailer, the load weighed 89,000 pounds. This meant the donations weighed around 54,000 pounds.
“We got everything we asked for,” Hindman said. “It's loaded floor to ceiling.”
Hindman said the response has been so good that he has stopped taking any more donations.
Hindman smiled wide, then he put his head in his hand for a moment.
The weight limit is 80,000.
Hindman took a deep breath, then he started issuing orders over the phone. He said this is a good problem to have.
Texas has lifted weight restrictions on tractor-trailers, but that doesn't cover trucks while they pass through other states.
“Of course, you have to get them from here to there,” Hindman said.
He said he will not let this delay the aid any longer. He said he'll try to get a permit to allow the extra 9,000, or he may contact the governor's office for special permission. He said unloading some items would be a last resort, but they will if they need to.
Hindman said the truck should arrive Friday, then be unloaded Saturday into a gym at a local church, where the people of Bloomington, a town in southern Texas of about 2,000 people, will be waiting.
“They're going to let the people come in and take what they need without restrictions,” Hindman said.
After word spread through various media, Hindman said he received a lot of support from the community through both donations and as volunteers.
“People just responded tremendously,” he said.
Hindman's granddaughter, Kara Gold of Renfrew, was one of the volunteers throughout the week. She said many of the donors that she spoke with wanted to help however they could, even offering to stay and work alongside those who were busy packing the items into boxes for the trip.
“We had tons of people come from all over the county,” she said. “They were really appreciative that we were able to do this.”
She said it also seemed to resonate with people that the donations would benefit a small town.
Plenty of goods still sit in Hindman's building on Hindman Lane, but he has plans for the remaining donations.
Hindman said his first priority is locking down a deal with one of his customers, who has a half-full truck going down to Texas already. He said he may be able to load the other half of the truck with donations, and he said he can keep asking his customers to top off their hauls to Texas for the next few weeks.
“That's our next step,” Hindman said. “To get some of this stuff moving.”
Hindman said after they finish serving the people of Bloomington, then they will move on to the next small town, which is the focus for his donations.
“We're going to serve the small towns because those people need it just as bad as the big towns,” Hindman said.
Hindman said he is also aware that Hurricane Irma could also cause great devastation, and thinking even further along, he hopes to have a second truck ready to fill.
“I just have to figure out how quick I can get another driver,” he said.A few weeks ago, Hindman's company had two drivers leave in quick succession, so he is short on help. Once he has drivers willing to go, he'll be able to take more goods and possibly make trips to Florida, where Irma is expected to impact this weekend.Hindman said the lack of drivers is just unlucky, but it is not an indication of the support they have received. He said his family, friends and customers have all rallied to help others in a time of need, and they will continue to take donations on a smaller basis.He said people still need the essentials.“If you lost everything you had right now,” he said, “what would you need most?”While Hindman said items like toiletries, medical supplies and tools are good donations, they will no longer be accepting any more donations.“We are overwhelmed with clothes,” he said. “We have oodles and oodles of used clothes.”Hindman said he is not sure how the next two weeks will play out. He said he just wants to continue to get the donated items to people who need them.Gold said this is nothing new. She said her grandfather has always been one to help others. She said it's why their family always tries to support him in anything he does.“Different people help out and stuff, but he goes above and beyond,” Gold said. “It's amazing what he does for people.”
