Honored and Overwhelmed

Thank you for your gifts to support recovery from Hurricane Helene in North Carolina.

My good friends/co-workers Brian and Caden, my father-in-law Carl, and I recently returned from a week serving in Hendersonville, NC. It was an honor to bring and give as many tools and supplies as we could fit into our truck and trailer: 4 generators, 4 chainsaws, dozens of hand tools, 8 solar chargers, hundreds of batteries, 8 totes of warm clothes/blankets, carbon monoxide detectors, about 100lbs of food, and more. Your generous gifts are also providing portable heaters and additional generators purchased locally in the community. Many people have been and will continue to be cared for using these supplies.

Our team focused on:

Tree removal:

The storm had left uprooted trees and large branches precariously suspended over roads, driveways, and houses — at risk of falling with the next gust of wind. Our task was to use ladders, ropes, and chainsaws to remove the branches and trees, mitigating the future risk to life and property. This required a lot of creativity, guts and skill to carry out.

Roof tarping:

Many roofs were crushed and damaged by fallen trees and large branches. This left homes/buildings exposed to the elements and at risk of further water damage in any future rain. Our task was to climb on these roofs, remove any loose debris and secure large tarps over the damaged areas. This was a critical, though temporary fix to keep out the rain and weather until comprehensive repairs can be made.

Mud out/tear out and spraying fungicide:

Water damage from roof leaks and flooding left many homes and buildings in really bad shape. Now useless appliances, cabinets, furniture and other belongings needed to be removed and placed roadside for future disposal. It was also critical to tear out all the flooring, sheetrock and insulation in the damaged areas to expose any existing mold growth. These areas were then sprayed with a fungicide and left open to dry in the hopes of stopping any further mold growth.

We had the blessing of serving 10 different households in these capacities. It was overwhelming to get up close and personal with the challenges these families are facing. Hearing their stories of profound loss and devastation, and coming to terms with their situations leaves me speechless. Through hugs, tears and gifts of cookies and pumpkin bread they expressed deep gratitude for us being there.

The great need for volunteers, supplies and funds in western NC will continue for many months. Please continue to pray for these communities and consider more ways that you can give to support them.

If you’d like to get updates from folks on the ground, you can follow these pages:

- Ground Force Humanitarian Aid: https://www.facebook.com/GroundForceNGO

- United Carolinas Cavalry: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566833185733

I will continue to stay in touch with our contacts in NC, keeping up-to-date on needs and progress. Feel free to reach out to me anytime to discuss ways you can get involved.

This campaign is unpublished.

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