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Mid-County and Port Arthur businesses are partnering with Spectrum Water Technology and the Salvation Army to give out food, hand sanitizer, chainsaw oil, ice and other essentials to those in Lake Charles impacted by Hurricane Laura.

The Hurricane Laura Relief Event is Monday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Spectrum Headquarters in Lake Charles, 501 BJ Cement Road.

Gerard Drago, owner of West End Hardware in Groves, is one business donating supplies.

“We were asked to be part of the event because the area is so devastated right now,” Drago said. “We are donating supplies from the store to distribute to the people who need it.”

West End Hardware is donating shovels, gloves, fuel cans, chainsaw oil and other items to use in the cleanup process.

“We are just a small part of this,” Drago said. “We wanted to make a contribution. It’s time to help our neighbors.”

Glenn Massey, Marketing Director at Spectrum Water Technology, said the company wanted to give back to a community that’s supported them for decades.

“Our company is Louisiana born-and-bred, but we have offices in Houston and all over the coast,” he said. “So when the hurricane hit and our office in Lake Charles was flattened, we knew we needed to reach out to the rest of our community.”

The company reached out to clients and business partners asking for help in acquiring and delivering essential needs.

“We try to give back to the community the best way we can because they are so good to us,” Massey said. “When we saw the devastation we wanted to see what we could do to help out.”

Approximately 800 hot meals will be given to Lake Charles residents, along with water, hand sanitizer and other items.

Massey said, “Whatever it takes to help out.”

The Hurricane Laura Relief Event is sponsored by six other businesses including Port Arthur’s environmental consultant Ecowerks.

Ecowerks is contributing 1,000 bottles of hand sanitizer.

Owner Mike Laws said Spectrum reached out and he didn’t hesitate to help.

“We really dodged a bullet in Southeast Texas,” he said. “We were lucky. Louisiana was not and we understand how hard that is. During Hurricane Harvey, we got overlooked next to the bigger cities like Houston, so we thought it was important to step up and help bring awareness to the smaller Southwest Louisiana towns in need right now.”

United Rentals Fluid Solutions, Tarp Depot, Juanderful Burrito, Alberty and Blakeney, and Valero join the two Southeast Texas businesses in sponsorship.

Massey said it shows the outpouring of love and support many people have to reach out to those in need.

“Not only are most of them giving money, but bringing over items and people to help out,” he said. “It’s unbelievable.”

Residents wishing to donate can drop off items at the distribution site.

Some examples of items in need include dog food, cat food, diapers, canned goods, canned milk, bottled water and other day-to-day non-perishable items.

Spectrum also set up a GoFundMe page benefitting the Salvation Army to enable its customers, partners and neighbors to assist with hurricane relief efforts.

To donate to the page, search Spectrum Water Technology Hurricane Relief.