Columbians raise salt for Georgians
Published Oct. 7, 2003
This isn't your typical food drive.
Throughout the month of October, the city of Columbia will raise funds to purchase iodized salt for one of its sister cities, Kutaisi, in the Republic of Georgia.
Since the Republic of Georgia became an independent state following the breakup of the Soviet Union, it has had no supply line for iodized salt, said Judith Baker, the executive director of A Call to Serve, the nonprofit organization coordinating the salt drive.
"Salt's been specifically requested," she said. "There are 4,000 children with thyroid goiter and disease and 150,000 pregnant women and children who may develop iodine deficiency. This may cause lower mental capabilities in an entire generation."
Iodine is important for humans because it is required to produce the hormone triiodothyronine. Triiodothyronine is believed to be responsible for increasing a person's metabolic rate and for maintaining heart beat strength and rate. Because it regulates the rate at which humans break down food into energy and heat, it indirectly controls body temperature, growth, weight and almost every other body function, professor of biology Bethany Stone said.
The campaign also hopes to fund a more long-term goal of creating a sustainable salt repackaging facility in the Republic of Georgia, Baker said.
"The ultimate goal is to raise funds for salt and to raise funds for a salt facility," Mayor Darwin Hindman said.
At a ceremony this morning at Shelter Gardens, Hindman and ACTS president Trish Blair will speak about the fund-raiser.
"I'm hoping it will go well," Hindman said. "I think Columbians will be generous and will help the terrible situation in our sister city."
This is the third year of the campaign. Last year the campaign almost doubled the money raised in the first year of the campaign, Baker said.
"We're asking for money because we can double our collection of salt by buying in bulk," she said. "But we will also accept salt."
Area schools will have salt collections, and the students will be able to write notes on the containers if they want, Baker said.
The campaign will include two days of events to raise funds. On Oct. 23, ACTS day of activities will include a drop-off point for money, a pledge line for people to call, a live broadcast by radio station KFRU and a "salt mine." The salt mine is an event in which "miners" from different local organizations will be trapped until enough money has been raised to bail them out, Baker said.
On Oct. 26, ACTS will host another collection day in conjunction with annual Make A Difference Day, a national volunteer effort.
"We hope to raise $45,000 this year, which is enough to help the 150,000 citizens identified with possible iodine deficiency," Baker said. "We're choosing to do this simple thing to help our sister city."
For more information on participating in the salt drive, visit www.acalltoserve.org.