Residents at the Marengo County Nursing Home in Linden literally gave their last dollar to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina.

“Most of the residents really wanted to do it and they all whole-heartedly agreed to it,” nursing home activities director Hattie Morgan said. “They’ve been donating their 25 cent winnings from BINGO every week and most of the time that’s all they have.”

“I wanted to do something because so many people lost everything and had to start all over again,” resident Doris Stanard said. “I know what it’s like to not have anything and I heard them talking about the repairs and how much they would cost, so my heart went out to them.”

Stanard said she donated her weekly BINGO winnings, 75 cent, to the cause because of the “tender heart” she inherited from her mother and father.

“Every week I’d give that 75 cent to the hurricane victims. My tender heart makes me give to anyone that doesn’t have anything,” she said patting her chest. “So I haven’t had money for a few weeks.”

After saving since shortly after the August 23 natural disaster, nursing home residents and employees donated $135.34 to the Linden Red Cross.

Community outreach coordinator Brenda Weaver said the money will go directly into the organization’s disaster relief fund and will be used strictly for local hurricane victims, whether they are evacuees or Alabama residents who suffered damages because of Hurricane Katrina.

“They so graciously gave and wanted to focus on all the evacuees that came to our area and the residents affected in the county,” Weaver said. “A lot of them have residents and friends who were affected by the storm.”

Since the project gave the residents a great sense of fulfillment and will benefit the community, Weaver plans to team up with the nursing home in the future.

“We will probably do something again,” nursing home activities director Mary Alvis said.

“We’ll put our heads together for some more activities.”

But Weaver already had the next joint venture in mind.

“Maybe we can get the residents and their families together to make care kits for evacuees and fire victims.”