Note: Revised June 30 to Correct Area CodeDavid Gross, CEO of Gulf Coast Laundry Services in Gulfport, Miss., is coordinating an effort to get much-needed towels to wildlife agencies racing to save birds, turtles, dolphins and other animals affected by the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Government officials on Tuesday raised the estimate of the amount of oil spewing into the Gulf to 35,000 to 60,000 barrels per day.Gross says he is mobilized, has already received many resources, and is prepared to redistribute them. He is still reaching out to laundries to gather whatever they can, but the most emergent need is still towels. Gross is also asking donors to pay for shipping costs of the materials they send. The towels will be used by wildlife agencies and cleanup crews to treat the oil-coated animals. Each bird can take up to 45 minutes to clean, and one pelican can use as many as 300 gallons of water, according to the International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC), an organization involved in the rescue and cleanup effort. Hence, the need for more towels.“The process has really started to take shape,” says Gross. “We’ve received a lot of towels and other items from around the country. We’re packaging the materials we’ve already received and will begin distributing them next week to organizations that are cleaning birds, turtles and other wildlife. But towels are still needed.” To make a donation or for more information on what or where to send supplies, contact Christie Allen at 228-896-4405 or e-mail [email protected].
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