PARKERSBURG — The current students, alumni and supporters of Parkersburg South High School are invited to Erickson All-Sports Facility today at 4 p.m. to put together kits to help people impacted by a house fire.

The event is being put on by After the Disaster, in cooperation with the Parkersburg South High School football team.

After the Disaster is a local charity started by Joy Buskirk earlier this year.

The Parkersburg resident has been putting together After the Disaster kits and has begun distributing them to local fire departments to give to families immediately impacted by a house fire.

The kits include toiletry items and things someone might need in the immediate aftermath of a fire.

Buskirk had a donation drive in June and those items will be packed into kits today.

”I have items, but we always need more items for more kits,” she said.

They have supplied kits to six of the 12 Wood County fire departments.

”Once we complete Wood County, we will be reaching out to surrounding counties as well,” Buskirk said. ”We will restock fire departments with new kits as they are used.”

It was 16 years ago this October that Buskirk experienced a house fire that left her and her family “with only the clothes on our backs,” she said.

Firefighters put out the fire and although their house did not burn down, they lost pets, had extensive smoke damage and were left wondering what to do next as well as how they were going to handle their immediate needs. Toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap and other basic needs could add up at a time when money may not be readily available, but needed by someone impacted by a fire.

Buskirk wants to include gift cards to restaurants so people don’t have to worry how they will pay for a meal to immediately feed their families.

She started putting together the kits and distributing them to fire departments to give out after a fire.

Items needed are body wash (3 in 1 but no bigger than 18 fluid ounces), brush/comb, deodorant (no cans), disposable razors/shaving cream (6 ounces), feminine hygiene (pads only), gift cards to restaurants, hand sanitizer (travel size), hand towels/wash clothes, kid’s body wash (12 ounces), kid’s toothbrush/toothpaste (3.5 ounces), Ponytail holders/ Barrett’s shampoo/conditioner 18 fluid ounces, soap, tissues (travel size), toothbrush/toothpaste (4.6 ounces), and toys for girls/boys (small stuffed animals for both).

Participants will be working today to help put the kits together.

A full listing of items needed can be found at after-the-disaster.com and After the Disaster on Facebook.

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com