Distraught by the wildfires, a Naples woman is traveling to Australia to hand-deliver relief supplies
Andrew Atkins
Summer Stone saw the devastation of Australia’s wildfires and felt compelled to do something.
So, about two weeks ago, she booked a flight and decided to start gathering supplies to take with her to the Australia Zoo.
“I was distraught,” Stone said. “I just knew I needed to do something.”
Australia’s situation is dire: a report from Vox indicates millions of acres burned in ongoing wildfires, larger than the state of Indiana, and are thought to have claimed the lives of 1 billion animals since the blazes began in September. The vast loss of life is a biodiversity crisis.
Parts of the continent have also been damaged by dust storms, hail and flash floods while the wildfires still gulp up human, animal and plant life.
More:Dust storms, hail and flash floods batter Australian cities amid raging wildfires
And:Dark smoke from Australia fires is circling the Earth, NASA says
The devastation spurred Stone to gather supplies, creating a flier and sharing information on social media. She plans to openly gather supplies at her North Naples home on Australia Day — Sunday, Jan. 26, before she leaves for Australia the following day.
The donations will go to Australia Zoo in Queensland, which is owned by Terri Irwin, wife of the late Steve Irwin. Stone said she will volunteer and spend her first week at the zoo before she spends the second week in Melbourne to volunteer wherever she might be needed.
Stone is no stranger to adversity: In 2017, she got into an accident as she was riding her motorcycle, losing her unborn son. The outpouring of support from the community she experienced is what she hopes to replicate to support Australia.
“It just sparked this fire inside of me,” Stone said. “My son did this. Never met him, but this is for him.”
Stone’s dad, Marc Semach, said it’s encouraging to see support for such a grassroots cause.
“Unfortunately, we live in a world that can be very selfish,” Semach said, so seeing the donations “makes your heart rejoice.”
Caitlyn Yeaw, Stone’s best friend, said Stone has always been her rock and that Stone also wants to help where she can.
“We’re so far away and it feels like we can’t do anything,” she said, but, “the littlest thing can do a lot.”
Since she began collecting donations and spreading the word through social media, she’s received more than 10 packages. When she woke up Tuesday, she found a number at her front door she had to sort through.
The supplies Stone seeks include:
- Medical supplies
- Bandages
- Linens and towels
- Protein bars
- Beef jerky
- Dust masks
- Eye drops
- Gauze
Stone — originally from Detroit and who works at Stu's Motorcycles in Fort Myers — is taking all of the donations to Australia herself. She booked her tickets through United, called the airline and explained her situation, and they granted her a medical clearance that entitles her to five checked items for free.
Those who are interested in donating supplies to Summer should reach her at 313-402-5342 or smrstone@gmail.com for the North Naples address.
If you go:
What: Australia donations
When: 4-8 p.m. Jan. 26
Where: North Naples, call for address
Contact: Summer Stone, 313-402-5342 or smrstone@gmail.com
Andrew Atkins is a Naples Daily News features reporter. Contact him via email at andrew.atkins@naplesnews.com or on Twitter at @andrewjatkins.
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