The late Kevin James Crowley, People In Need’s former executive director, once said, “When it comes to moving the cool air into the house and the hot air out, even one fan makes a big difference.”

With that simple thought in mind, the Delaware County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, also known as the Delaware County EMA, created the EMA Donate a Fan Drive in 2012 to benefit People In Need, Inc. of Delaware County. The social services agency located at 138 Johnson Drive, Delaware, is a private, not-for-profit 501 (C)(3) dedicated to providing emergency assistance to the residents of the county.

“Since 2012, the fan drive has collected over 500 fans, and the current supply is getting low,” said Sandy Mackey, Delaware EMA deputy director. “With the dangerously high temperatures approaching, the need is great, and we hope to see the donation numbers rise quickly.”

Mackey said PIN provides the fans to clients of the agency who need heat relief in their homes but can’t afford to purchase a fan on their own.

“New box fans can be purchased for under $20 at local retail stores, and the relief they can provide is enormous,” she said. “We created this fan drive with the goal of helping PIN continue to supply new box fans to our community members who need relief from the heat but are unable to purchase a fan of their own.”

New box fans can be purchased at all Walmart, Target and Sam’s Club store location for less than $20.

“Delaware County residents always come through for PIN,” Mackey said. “The fan drive will run until Sept. 15, or until cooler temperatures prevail.”

Donations may be dropped off at any Delaware County EMS or fire station, all Delaware County District Library branches, the EMA office (10 Court St.) or the People in Need Office (138 Johnson Drive).

Crowley once told The Gazette that the area fire departments will sometimes run the fans to PIN almost as soon as they get them.

“They’ll run them in here even if it’s only a couple,” he said. “I don’t know what I’d do without all these folks. Thank you to all the fire departments.”

Below is the full list of EMA Donate a Fan Drive locations:

• Elm Valley Joint Fire District, 9821 U.S. 42 North, Ashley

• Berlin Township Fire Department, 2708 Lackey Old State Road, Delaware

• BST&G Fire District, 350 W. Cherry St., Sunbury

• Concord Township Fire Department, 7943 Dublin Road, Delaware

• Delaware City Fire Department, 99 S. Liberty St., Delaware

• Delaware City Fire Department, 683 Pittsburg Drive, Delaware

• Delaware City Fire Department, 1320 West Central Ave., Delaware

• Delaware County EMS Station #1, 909 U.S. 23 North, Delaware

• Delaware County EMS Station #2, 283 W. Granville St., Sunbury

• Delaware County EMS Station #3, 6226 Third Ave., Lewis Center

• Delaware County EMS Station #4, 4095 State Route 203, Radnor

• Delaware County EMS Station #5, 245 W. High St., Ashley

• Delaware County EMS Station #6, 12844 Olive Green Road, Sunbury

• Delaware County EMS Station #7, 7177-A Northgate Way, Westerville

• Delaware County EMS Station #8, 6457 U.S. 36 W., Ostrander

• Delaware County EMS Station #9, 13961 Woodtown Road, Galena

• Delaware County EMS Station #10, 2708 Lackey Old State Road, Delaware

• Genoa Township Fire Department, 7049 Big Walnut Road, Galena

• Harlem Township Fire Department, 3883 S. State Route 605, Galena

• Liberty Township Fire Department, 7761 Liberty Road, Powell

• Liberty Township Fire Department, 10150 Sawmill Road, Powell

• Orange Township Fire Department, 7700 Gooding Blvd., Delaware

• Orange Township Fire Department, 7307 S. Old State Road, Lewis Center

• Porter/Kingston Fire District, 12844 Olive Green Road, Sunbury

• Radnor Township Fire Department, 4061 State Route 203, Radnor

• Scioto Township Fire Department, 3737 Ostrander Road, Ostrander

• Tri-Township Fire District, 495 Sunbury Road, Delaware

• Tri-Township Fire District, 660 Coover Road, Delaware

• Delaware County District Library 84 E. Winter St., Delaware

• Delaware County District Library Orange Branch 7171 Gooding Blvd., Delaware

• Delaware County District Library Ostrander Branch 75 N. Fourth St., Ostrander

• Delaware County District Library Powell Branch 460 S. Liberty Road, Powell

For information, visit www.delcoema.org and click on the media releases tab.

Summer has barely begun and temperatures have already reached the 90-degree mark in Delaware County. Box fans will be in short supply as the need to beat the heat only increases. The Delaware County Emergency Management Agency and People In Need Inc. have teamed up with area fire departments to collect box fans for people who cannot afford them. At the peak of last summer, the fans on the forklift shown in the photo were all that was left, that was until more donations could be dropped off.

http://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2018/06/web1_DSC_3785_F.jpgSummer has barely begun and temperatures have already reached the 90-degree mark in Delaware County. Box fans will be in short supply as the need to beat the heat only increases. The Delaware County Emergency Management Agency and People In Need Inc. have teamed up with area fire departments to collect box fans for people who cannot afford them. At the peak of last summer, the fans on the forklift shown in the photo were all that was left, that was until more donations could be dropped off. D. Anthony Botkin | The Gazette