NASELLE – Once again, Debra Stewart is asking the communities at the mouth of the Columbia to help her with a charitable project.

This time Stewart’s project involves collecting clean, light-weight summery clothing that people are done with for the season, packaging it in big freezer-size Ziplock bags, then pack those bags in a crate and shipping it to a small village in Africa where only 20 out of it’s 5,000 people are employed.

Why? It’s simple. Because with the help of donations from this community and surrounding communities, as well as the donation of a shipping company, she thinks she can clothe a village.

The idea came when on a recent stay in the hospital Stewart met the chaplains who upon request visit the patients in the hospital while they are recovering.

“They all are really great people,” she said. But one particularly inspired her. His name is Father Ocun, a priest from Uganda. His stories about his village back home in Uganda were especially interesting to Stewart.

“I was complaining to Father Ocun that I have been unable to find and keep a job in my field since I graduated from WSU in 2001 with a degree in human development and biology. Then he told me that back in Uganda out of 5,000 people in his village only 20 are employed. It is a humbling thought don’t you think? My husband and I are lucky to have one good job. My husband works with the Bio-terrorism Response Network for the state of Oregon. But still, I was whining about not being able to have two great jobs. It made me think.”

Looking out of her window at the hospital she realized that the seasons are changing. Everyone will stop using his or her summer clothes soon. However, since Uganda straddles the equator, summer clothes would be perfect.

If you would like to donate summery clothes, here’s what is needed. Adult shirts, pants, belts (they generally are thinner than we are), women’s dresses (generally on the long side), lengths of fabric (a few yards can be used as a turban, more can be wrapped around in traditional style), children’s clothes such as shorts, tops, dresses and click-clack sandals (you know, the ones that go between the toes and make that clicking sound when you walk) of all sizes.

Deliver the clothing items (one outfit per bag) to the drop off points at: Deals Only, 1172 Commercial St. in Astoria throughout the entire month of October. Also on the weekend of Saturday, Oct. 21 and Sunday Oct. 22, Subway will be accepting donations at three locations in Astoria, Warrenton and Seaside. Other drop off points will be added so look out for a container with the sign on it saying; “Clothe a Village Project.”

If anyone knows someone who might be able to ship either a large crate or many smaller boxes to Uganda call 503-757-4314. Stewart will be trying to get UPS, FedEx, commercial or chartered airlines, or even individuals who own jets to ferry the clothing to Uganda. This will likely be one of the most challenging pieces to the project. “I know all the pieces are out there, we just have to put them together,” says Stewart.