BALTIMORE — Last week, WMAR-2 News told you about the Baltimore music venue that put out a call for donations for California wildfire victims and firefighters. Well, it's safe to say that call was answered.
"Anything helps, so I wasn't really - it could've been two boxes and I wouldn't have been upset. I would've been happy with that," Patrick Martin, co-owner of Metro Baltimore told WMAR-2 News' Elizabeth Worthington.
Martin never expected this kind of response.
"I definitely thought it would be me taking like this much to the post office," he said, pointing to two small boxes of donations. "I didn’t think it was gonna be this much, at all," he said while laughing.
Martin has a lot of personal connections to Southern California, which has been devastated by the recent fires. A friend in the music industry who lives there agreed to distribute any items Martin was able to collect here in Baltimore. He was able to fill four pallets - and counting - with boxes packed to the brim.
"We have literally everything. Trash bags are in here. N95 masks are here," Martin said as he showed us the donations that have been dropped off over the past two weeks.
There are basic necessities like toothbrushes and hygiene products - seemingly obvious items to donate to people who have lost everything. But there are also things you might not think of - specific items requested by the firefighters dealing with extremely dry air.
"The whole thing - it's all chapstick," Martin said, showing us a box filled with nothing but chapstick.
Transporting all of this to the opposite side of the country proved to be quite a challenge.
"It's an awesome problem and hurdle to deal with but now that we've got shipping figured out for such a large amount of stuff, it's all getting there," Martin told WMAR-2 News. "I wish that it had been able to get there quicker, but there's a consistent need for it because the fires aren't stopping either."
Martin was impressed by the generosity of his neighbors, who jumped at the chance to help people suffering thousands of miles away.
"They were just psyched that anyone was doing anything for it," Martin said. "There's a lot of helpful people in the world. When they're able to do it, no matter what the scale is, it just makes a big difference."
If you're still interested in bringing in donations, you can bring them to Metro on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., now through February 6.
Below is a list of what the venue is currently accepting:
***No Clothing*** ***No Shoes***
***No Bottled Water***
*No urgent need for kn95 masks*
*No urgent need for sanitizer*
*No urgent need for trash bags*
First Aid Kits
Bedding *new not used*
Pillows *new not used*
Soap
Shampoo
Feminine Hygiene products
Granola/Energy Bars
Beef Jerky bags
Individually wrapped snacks
Hydration Packets
Dry Dog Food
Dry Cat food
Canned Dog food
Canned Cat food
Baby Formula
Diapers
Baby Wipes
Work Gloves
Protective Eyewear
Tarps
