Vegas donations provide big boost

Monday, Nov. 3, 2003 | 9:40 a.m.

KOOL 93.1 radio morning show host Jim Zippo opened Friday's USA Today newspaper on the road to Southern California's wildland fires and saw a photo of his parents' Cedar Glen, Calif., mountain home in flames.

Zippo said he was riding a tractor-trailer packed with food, water, clothing, more than $4,000 in cash and toys collected by the radio station for Southern California fire victims. After he saw the photo, the trip became a personal mission to find his parents, Mack and Charlotte, as well as brother Marc and sister-in-law Karen.

"This is pretty scary stuff," Zippo said Sunday night from San Diego, waiting to catch a flight back to Las Vegas today.

Eventually he found his brother and his wife, and learned that his parents had been evacuated to Joshua Tree, about 60 miles north of their burned home.

"They've been in the mountains for 50 years," Zippo said of his parents. "Nothing like this has ever happened."

The 27 tons of goods that arrived in San Diego from Las Vegas and the cash donations went from the truck to those who need it most, Zippo said.

Grateful burn victims in Southern California put the donated goods to use.

For those who still would like to help California wildfire victims, donations can be made to:

The Salvation Army, Development Department, P.O. Box 28369, Las Vegas, NV 89126. Make the check payable to The Salvation Army -- California Wildfires.

The Southern Nevada Chapter of the American Red Cross is accepting contributions at 3672 N. Rancho Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89130, or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013.

Internet users may secure online credit card donations at www.redcross.org.

Individuals with family members in the affected areas can call 1-866-GET-INFO to obtain information about displaced relatives and Red Cross shelters.