First Posted: 1/15/2009

LUMBERTON - Firefight-ers from 32 departments will spend this weekend working on behalf of the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Firemen will be stationed at fire houses on Saturday and Sunday to collect donated items and money - and some will venture out into high-traffic areas to try to shake some help loose.
“We're just basically trying to let people know if they see a fireman collecting money it's not for local departments, it's to help a county in the gulf area hit by Katrina,” said Cheryl Stone of the county Fire Marshal's Office.
Money is needed for emergency supplies, gasoline for cleanup equipment, tarps, and assistance for the elderly. Wey-erhaeuser has agreed to supply boxes for packing donations.
Lumberton firemen will be collecting donations outside Wal-Mart and Lowes Home Improvement Warehouse. The money will go to their fellow firefighters in Lamar County, Miss.
The fire departments are working in conjunction with the county as part of an effort to help the rural Mississippi County. Local officials have adopted it because it has two towns, Lumberton and Purvis, that share names with Robeson County municipalities.
Last week, trailers donated by TWL Inc., Bestway and Corney Transportation were placed at the following locations to collect donations: Fair-mont Town Hall on South Main Street; Lumberton Fire Depart-ment on Seventh Street; Max-ton Queheel Volunteer Fire De-partment on East Rockingham Road; Pembroke Rural Vol-unteer Fire Department on Prospect Road; Red Springs Volunteer Fire Department on North Main Street; Rowland Town Hall on West Main Street; and St. Pauls Town Hall on West Blue Street.