And two more Rowan-Salisbury elementary schools, in cooperation with the Salvation Army, are collecting goods to take to eastern North Carolina.

In East Spencer, Jill Burch, a leader in the Rowan Area Minority Business Association, has organized support for Princeville, which was established in 1885 as the first town incorporated in the United States by freed slaves after the Civil War.

Located across the Tar River from Tarboro, Princeville remains inundated since the rising river broke through a dike last week.

Burch “got on the phone and began to call everyone she had ever appealed to for any type of charity,” according to Eleanor Qadirah, who is helping Burch. “Everyone responded with enthusiasm.”

Besides the Minority Business Association, the town of East Spencer, the Police Department, the Paul Laurence Dunbar Family Resource Center, the Dunbar Reunion Committee, the NAACP, the Crusaders Men’s Club, Pride of Salisbury Elks Lodge 1774, the Travelers Club, the Shining Stars and Western Star No. 9 have joined the effort to collect supplies.

The groups are gathering new boots and shoes; cleaning supplies, including antibacterial wipes; work gloves; insect repellent; garbage bags; blankets, school supplies and baby items.

Burch “feels strongly that African-American hair products may have been omitted” from other appeals for donations, Qadirah said.

From Monday through Thursday, the public can drop donations by the Dunbar Center, 820 S. Long St. James White, Mary Holden, Mary Ann Davis, Essie Foxx and Burch are serving as volunteer coordinators, and they can use assistance.

Bost Trucking Co. has offered to see that the supplies get to Princeville. For more information, call Burch at 637-0837, Davis at 639-0959 or Foxx at 636-9228.

As for the public schools, Susan Sigmon, at Landis Elementary School, said officials there will collect bottled water beginning Monday and continuing through Friday.

Anybody is welcome to bring bottled water by the school, 801 W. Ryder Ave., during regular school hours.

Susan Kennerly, a counselor at Granite Quarry Elementary School, said students and staff there are collecting all sorts of non-perishable goods, including water, cleaning supplies, canned goods and baby care supplies.

“We’ve already got a ton of stuff,” she said, and will continue accepting donations during regular school hours through Friday. The school is located at 118 S. Walnut St.

The Salvation Army will take the supplies to eastern North Carolina.

A number of Kannapolis and Rowan-Salisbury schools are collecting goods to ship to people suffering because of Hurricane Floyd.

Many Rowan-Salisbury schools are adopting other schools harmed by the flood waters, including several in Pitt County.

If you’re interested in trying to help a Pitt County school, call Arlene Ferren at the headquarters of the school system in that county, at 252-830-4237.