AAA's Soap for Hope donation drive recently collected and distributed an all-time record 126,646 toiletry items to charitable organizations throughout Washington state and northern Idaho, according to a press release. The amount is 21 percent more than last year's collection.

The Bellingham and Mount Vernon AAA offices collected more than 5,840 toiletry items. All items collected locally were donated to Friendship House in Skagit County and Lydia Place in Bellingham.

Out and About is published on Mondays in The Bellingham Herald. Reach Executive Editor Julie Shirley at 360-715-2261 or julie.shirley@bellinghamherald.com.