I wish to extend a sincere thanks to the folks who have been working so hard to get things ready to go to Texas to help the victims of Katrina.

Thank you to Mayor Gibb and his wife, Councilman Steven Lamphear, Councilman Jack Block Jr. Steve Denmark, the firefighters and chief from the Burien Fire Department District 2, the volunteers from North Highline Fire Department, Burien Citizens Patrol, to name a few.

And the countless volunteers, the businesses who donated food and drinks, the folks who gave the clothes, the baby goods, the companies who donated all the boxes everything went into, the trucking company who is taking the donations south. It is an endless list.

As of this letter, one 53-foot trailer is loaded and a second will be done today. All done by a community who cared and did the impossible. Accepting the donations, sorting the donations and boxing, and labeling them.

A great effort by some very wonderful people who just wanted to help.

I could never say enough or do justice to all the people who helped - or to the hope that a little City with a Big Heart, who cared enough to get involved, might bring to the people who needed help.

Patrick J. Dooley

Burien businessman