Hurricane Helene struck the Big Bend region of the Florida panhandle on Sept. 26 and zoomed through Southeastern states Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. The hurricane took 223 lives, and many still remain unaccounted for in the aftermath.
While Hurricane Helene only lasted for a few days, the damage was unfathomable, especially in Asheville, North Carolina.
The hurricane put a halt to residents’ lifestyles as they now have to worry about fulfilling basic needs they once had. “It will be weeks to months before we get water, and many businesses can’t open without water, so the city remains a ghost town,” said Asheville resident Liz Borom. “We are lucky that my family is only impacted by loss of water. We go out everyday to city hall to get our five gallon bucket filled. Others in the area did not fare as well, and some still don’t have power,” continued Borom.
The recovery from this catastrophic event requires a significant amount of time. There still remains a lot of uncertainty and fear. “Schools can’t go back until they get water, and at my son’s school, there are still 118 students not accounted for, so they are just trying to figure out what’s next,” expressed Borom.
These long term impacts need long term solutions.
Relief efforts initiated soon after the hurricane to provide supplies and combat destruction. President Biden sent over 1,000 troops, along with National Guard and federal personnel, to assist recovery in affected areas. Even pop star celebrity Taylor Swift donated $5 million to help communities rebuild and help residents access food and water. The American Red Cross is raising funds for the cause as well.
The hurricane significantly impacted North Carolina, but even Iowa is reaching out to provide a helping hand.
The Scott County Sheriff’s Reserve donated supplies and funds to North Carolinians this past week to contribute to the cleanup efforts from Hurricane Helene. “We worked with the Utica Ridge and Kimberly/Eastern Hyvee’s to get their permission to stand outside the stores and ask the public for donations,” stated Scott County Deputy Marshall Bell. “These donations came in the form of diapers, toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies, bottled water and other non-perishables.”
This initiative resulted in a great turnout in order to provide optimal assistance to victims of Hurricane Helene. “The Scott County Sheriff’s Reserve collected enough supplies to fill two pickup trucks and two 18-foot trailers which were driven to Asheville, NC by four Reserve Deputies that left Wednesday morning,” explained Bell. “We also collected monetary donations totaling over $12,000. We had many businesses donate money and supplies. The Sheriff’s Reserve donated $1,000 and all of our time.”
Scott County generously and diligently took time to help those in need. The local Sheriff’s Reserve hopes that their outreach provides significant help to Asheville residents. While Scott County may be nowhere near the actual hurricane, the community took the opportunity to prioritize other communities and gather resources.
National unity is crucial in these times of hardship. Donations, support and supplies are still needed in recovery from Hurricane Helene. Over time, with continued relief efforts, these impacted families will be able to restore their communities.
