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Louie's Tap House organizes hurricane-relief drive; asks village to permit revised traffic flow
Summary
Owner-operators of Louie's Tap House told the Roscoe Village Board they are collecting donations for hurricane relief to North Carolina, have loaded one semi and are arranging additional trucks, volunteers and logistics; monetary donations will be converted to gift cards and physical donations will be packed and shipped by a volunteer network.
Joseph Giacconi, an organizer at Louie's Tap House, told the Roscoe Village Board on Oct. 15 that the restaurant is running a community donation drive to send supplies to hurricane-affected areas of North Carolina.
Giacconi said the drive has already collected 800 cases of water and multiple pallets of other supplies and that additional pallets and semis are on standby. "We've already received 800 cases of water," he said, and volunteers and local businesses have donated pallets, a forklift and labor to pack and load shipments. He said the operation will work with a group he called Operation Cajun Navy to move supplies and that semis will be unloaded and distributed in the affected areas.
Giacconi asked the board for permission to alter vehicular access at Louie's for the duration of the effort, saying he will use Second Street as the primary entrance and make Elevator Road exit-only to ease traffic around the loading area. He said he had emailed a village staff member (Janelle) about the change and "she wanted me to come and speak tonight about that." Board members applauded the effort and said they appreciated the community response.
On logistics, Giacconi said donated items will be boxed and palletized at Louie's, shrink-wrapped and loaded onto semis; volunteers from other bars and local schools are expected to help. He described a range of in-kind donations already promised by local businesses, including LaMonica Beverages (water), Cherryville Feed Store (dog food) and other community contributors. He also said some donors have offered generators and other large items for shipment.
Giacconi said monetary gifts should be left at Louie's and will be converted into gift cards before being sent south: "So cash donations made out to Louie's and then... we'll convert that $100 into a mobile gas card which will go with the truck," he said. Village officials relayed the organizer's instruction that organizers do not want cash sent directly to recipients and prefer gas or retail gift cards (examples cited included Shell and Walmart).
Giacconi also described a small fundraiser: bracelets being sold for $5 each, with proceeds earmarked for drivers' fuel.
The board did not take formal action on the traffic plan during the meeting; Giacconi said he would post collection hours (12 p.m.–5 p.m. Sunday) and signage and use social media to notify residents. He asked for the board's support in the effort and thanked attendees for volunteer offers.
