Master minding delivery of three truckloads of food and school supply to the Help Center last week are (from left) Fire Chief Patrick Reitz, Christina Reitz, Help Center Board President Callie Wight, Help Center staff Julia Ledesma, David Miller, Peter Eckert and Karen Cantrell, owner of Lady Golf in Palm Springs, who is responsible for collecting $700 in cash donations of which $400 were applied to food purchase and $300 to school supplies. The estimated value of additional food dropped off by Palm Springs residents totals $20,000. Lady Golf will continue to collect donations in Palm Springs throughout the month of August, delivering them to Idyllwild once a week. Cantrell is a part-time Pine Cove resident who was approached by Reitz to help with supplying the Help Center with donations. Holly Parsons

The Idyllwild Help Center has seen a tremendous amount of activity since Idyllwild and surrounding communities have been repopulated after the devastating Cranston Fire.

The nonprofit has provided more than 200 emergency services to more than 170 people.

Because of that tremendous need, it has been the target of giving from both locals and off-Hillers, from politicians to organizations. (See accompanying photos.)

“We’ve had such an outpouring of generosity in these last few hard days, for that we are truly grateful,” reads its Facebook page. “However, one question has been asked over and over: ‘How can we help the Help Center?’”

The post makes these suggestions:

• Money donations help the nonprofit meet the needs of the community as needs shift.

• Gift-card donations to any local store help two-fold; helping the most vulnerable and keeping the local economy strong.

• Non-perishable food donations.

• School supplies are in critical need.

• Donate gently used clothing, furniture and miscellaneous items to the thrift store.

Joy Silver, Democratic candidate for state senate, delivers water Saturday morning to the Idyllwild Help Center with her assistant James Carver. The two also brought pasta sauce, jelly, batteries and cereal from Courageous Resistance of the Desert. Photo by Becky Clark
Aaron Quintyn and David Miller bring crates of donations into the Idyllwild Help Center on Wednesday, Aug. 1. These two and a group of friends brought two truckloads of food and supplies up the Hill from the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission in Indio. Photo by Halie Wilson
Idyllwild Fire Chief Patrick Reitz helps unload food donations at the Idyllwild Help Center last week that were donated by Lady Golf in Palm Springs.
Photo by Jack Clark
Executive Director Colleen Meyer is overwhelmed to see loads of donations arriving at the Idyllwild Help Center last week for Cranston Fire victims.

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