Peekskill Truck Co. Owners Heading to Texas for Hurricane Relief
Like most people who have watched footage of the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas, brothers Darrell and Karl Bjorkland, owners of K&D Industries of New York, LLC in Peekskill, wanted to find a way to lend a helping hand.
With the permission of Acadia Realty, owners of the Cortlandt Town Center, the Bjorkland duo parked a 53-foot truck near Walmart on Saturday with the goal of filling it up with water, toiletries, clothes, items for kids—anything that can make the lives of people who have been affected by the storm a little more bearable.
As of Monday morning, the truck was three quarters filled and Karl was confident by the time he and his brother begin their 27-hour trek to Texas on Thursday, the rig will be packed to capacity.
“It just feels good to give back,” Darrell said in front of a huge Hurricane Relief banner. “We were watching everything that was going on down there and we said let’s do something. The community response has been great. Everything is coming together.”
This is not the first time Darrell and Karl have collected goods for a needy cause. Five years ago, when Hurricane Sandy swept through the region, they teamed up with the Yorktown PBA.
“Sandy hit home. This one is a little bit different,” Darrell said.
Heather Meisel, who has been assisting the Bjorkland’s with their effort, said local residents have been very generous.
“It’s amazing. The outpouring has just been great,” she said.
With the food bank in Houston unable to accept any more donations, Darrell said they have been talking with other truck companies about coordinating their journeys to one drop-off location. They are also thinking about transporting homeless animals from Texas to local shelters.
K&D will be accepting donated goods through Wednesday at their headquarters at 1006 Lower South Street in Peekskill.
Meanwhile, state Senator Terrence Murphy (R/Yorktown) is spearheading a collection effort of his own for the people in the Gulf Region on Tuesday (September 5) at noon at the Triangle Shopping Center in Yorktown, where a tractor-trailer, courtesy of Tiso & Associates Inc. Trucking of Pawling, will be available to accept up to 48,000 pounds of goods.
“There are many families in Texas left in the wake of Hurricane Harvey who lost everything. They are living in shelters or trying to survive on their own without water, clean clothes or diapers for their children,” said Murphy said. “I am asking businesses, families and individuals across the Hudson Valley to fill the truck and help others in crisis.”
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
