May 16th, 2011
Summer fan drive now underway

SUBMITTED REPORT

The city of San Marcos and community partners have joined the Family Eldercare 21st annual Summer Fan Drive to collect donations of new fans and new window air conditioners to bring relief from the scorching summer temperatures to low income and medically fragile residents.

Partnering this year with Family Eldercare are Hays County, the San Marcos Fire Department, San Marcos Electric Utility, San Marcos Housing Authority, Driftwood Fire Department, Dripping Springs Fire Department, and Texas State University Custodial Operations Department.

The collection continues through July 31.

The San Marcos Fire Department will accept donations of new fans and new window air conditioning units at five fire stations, including Fire Station 5 at 100 Carlson Circle, Downtown Station 1 at 114 E. Hutchison; Station 2 at 1314 Academy; Station 3 at 2420 Hunter Road, and Station 4 at 404 Broadway.

The City’s Electric Utility is donating $500 toward the drive. Hays County collection points include Driftwood Fire Department, Dripping Springs Fire Department, 400 Sportsplex Drive, and the Hays County Precinct 2 Office, 111 N. Front Street, Kyle, and Hays County Precinct 4 Office, 195 Roger Hanks Parkway, Dripping Springs.

The fans requested are new 20-inch box fans and 12-inch or larger oscillating fans. Air conditioners are available on a limited basis to those with serious medical conditions. Financial contributions for the fan drive may be made to Family Eldercare at www.familyeldercare.org .

The Texas State University Custodial Operations Department has again volunteered to accept donations of new fans and new window air conditioning units as well as deliver the fans from the fire stations to distribution sites and to homebound recipients. Contact 512-245-2181 or www.facilities.txstate.edu/custodial/for more information.

San Marcos residents who need a fan are asked to go to the Chapultepec Homes at 701 S. LBJ Drive (office on Love Street) between the hours of 9 a.m. and 12 noon Monday-Friday to apply through the San Marcos Housing Authority Resident Services Office or by calling 512.396.3364. Priority consideration will be for elderly and disabled residents.

Applicants may also call Family Eldercare at 512.459.4FAN. Businesses, agencies or organizations interested in organizing a fan drive to collect new fans or new window air conditioners for residents of San Marcos and Hays County, may call Family Eldercare at 512.483.3579.

Last year, the drive provided more than 5,500 fans and 90 air conditioners to more than 3,200 households in Central Texas. The fans and funds raised in San Marcos and Hays County provided fans for San Marcos/Hays County residents.

The San Marcos Housing Authority provides safe and sanitary housing for about 555 low-income families and individuals, including the elderly and disabled.

Their Resident Services Department supports several initiatives, all of which are united in the overall goals of improving the quality of life for public housing residents, reducing dependence on the welfare system, and empowering residents to take charge of their lives and of their environment. They are pleased to be able to support this program, which serves the entire community, not just people receiving housing assistance.

Family Eldercare is a non-profit organization that serves more than 6,000 people annually. The organization is dedicated to the care and protection of seniors and adults with disabilities. Its annual fan drive collects new fans and funds to offer relief from the intense summer heat to seniors, adults with disabilities and families with children and provides other critical services.

Low-income families often face the summer without air conditioning due to the high cost of equipment, repairs and utilities. Fans help them safeguard against heat-related illness. Family Eldercare also provides window air conditioning units to frail neighbors with a documented medical condition that puts them at risk for heat related illness.

More people in the United States die from extreme heat exposure than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes combined.