ADAMS – "We’re thinking that we may want to do something like this every year to build up an account to help in times of emergencies.

Saturday, September 09, 2000

ADAMS – "We’re thinking that we may want to do something like this every year to build up an account to help in times of emergencies."

That’s how Curt Sheely described another ambitious community service project at Adams.

In the aftermath of the successful Aug. 20 fund-raiser to help flood victims in Mower County and tornado victims at Granite Falls, volunteers’ enthusiasm has not wavered.

Sheely and Tom Mullenbach organized the spontaneous fund-raiser a month ago after talking about the victims of the natural disasters in July. Flooding struck southeastern Minnesota and a tornado devastated Granite Falls.

The Adams volunteers organized a dinner at Sacred Heart Catholic Church and asked participants to leave a free-will offering.

On Thursday night, the proceeds were distributed after a meeting at American Legion Post No. 146.

Elaine Hansen, executive director of the Mower County chapter of the American Red Cross, accepted a check for $1,235 with $500 coming from Little Cedar Lutheran Church of Adams.

Mjr. Doug Yech, officer in charge of the Salvation Army Austin Corps, accepted a check for $1,485 with $500 coming from the Little Cedar church.

A third check for $1,600 will go to the Granite Falls tornado victims fund.

Hansen called the Adams’ gesture "admirable" because of the "way the community comes together to help those in need."

Yech said he was "proud that the Salvation Army can have a part in helping people and of the Adams folks’ generosity."

In the case of the Red Cross, Hansen said there are still July 9-10 flood victims living in motels paid for by the chapter, while trying to find new housing.

Thus, the money is obviously needed.

Sheely and Mullenbach were joined by other key members of the core group of fund-raiser organizers Thursday night. They included Monica Mullenbach, chief cook at Sacred Heart Catholic Church/School; LeeAnn Schneider, Craig Schaefer, Jerry VanOosbree, Roger Weness and Dan May, Adams Fire Chief. Missing were Bill and Linda Boe, Judy VanOosbree and Susan Lagerstadt.

But, to list everybody and every organization involved is, Mullenbach and Sheely said, impossible.

"Everybody made it happen. Everybody was important to its success in their own way," Sheely.

"I think what I personally liked was how the three area churches, Little Cedar, Sacred Heart and St. John’s at Johnsburg worked together. They were mighty important to the success, too," Mullenbach said.

"The Adams Volunteer Fire Department, Adams Area Ambulance Service, Adams Lions Club and just about every organization or business in town helped," Mullenbach said.

"We don’t really know of anybody who didn’t help," added Sheely.

TAP Holdings helps Salvation Army

Christie Williams and Crystal Hanke presented a check for $1,500 to Major Doug Yech and everybody smiled.

It does feel good to help someone else.

Williams and Hanke are pharmaceutical sales representatives for TAP Pharmaceuticals Inc.

They were touched by the response of the Salvation Army Austin Corps to the summertime needs of victims of late-July flooding.

They applied for a grant from their employer and the result was a $1,500 contribution to the Salvation Army.

"We appreciate this gesture very much," said Yech, officer in charge of the Salvation Army Austin Corps. "It will go to directly help the victims of the summertime floods in Austin."

TAP Holdings Inc. is the parent company of Tap Pharmaceuticals Inc.

It was established in 1977 as a joint venture between Abbott Laboratories, headquartered in Abbott Park, Ill. and Takeda Chemical Industries, Ltd. of Osaka, Japan.

TAP markets Prevacid (lansoprazole) delayed release capsules for the short-term treatment for healing and symptom relief of erosive esophagitis, active duodenal ulcers and the treatment of pathological hypersecretory conditions, including Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

TAP also markets various strengths of Lupron Depot (Leuprolide acetate) for palliative treatment for advanced prostate cancer, management of endometriosis, preoperative hematologic improvement of anemia caused by uterine fibroid tumors and central precocious puberty.

Williams works as a pharmaceutical sales representative in the Rochester area.

Hanke works as a sales representative for the company at Mankato.

The Salvation Army Austin Corps is just completing renovations and repairs to its own facilities, which were also flooded in late-July.

Because the Salvation Army’s mission is to help others, its own flood repairs had to wait until that mission was completed.