Cross Funeral Home

The effort to fill an 18-wheeler represents a partnership among the funeral home, American Red Cross, Brighter Side Roofing, Mathis Realty and moving company Augusta Data Storage Inc. Normal receiving hours are to be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but arrangements can be made via the funeral home for pickup at other hours, according to Michael Ford, co-owner of the funeral home."We are currently accepting all donations," he said, in an interview Tuesday afternoon.Suggestions from the Red Cross have included baby clothes, hand sanitizer, diapers and underwear (tops and bottoms, with larger sizes especially useful). Donations of pallets are also welcome, as they are useful in the shipping process, Ford added.Donations will be received until the 18-wheeler is packed."If we go over and above, we will figure out the logistics; if we need to get a second trailer or take it ourselves. All donations will be forwarded to the folks that need it."The killer storm, which had weakened from hurricane to tropical-storm status by the time it hit southeastern Texas, was described in a Tuesday report in the Washington Post as "likely the greatest rain storm in U.S. history."It arrived in the same week as the 12th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall, which triggered a years-long recovery effort along the Gulf Coast.The funeral home is at 637 West Martintown Road, next to the Greeneway and North Augusta Southern Methodist Church.For more information, call 803-278-2525. (The Star)