Goal:
USD $15,000
Raised:
USD $6,688
Campaign funds will be received by Thomas Plyler
Hi, thanks for visiting. I live near Asheville, NC. Hurricane Helene came to visit Western NC and created a really messy situation. Using this GiveSendGo to fund my efforts to help WNC survive winter and rebuild.
Creating both indoor and outdoor style, wood burning heat using donated steel barrels. Everyone was sleeping when I delivered the first three to the church camp at 1:30am. Went back the next evening, everyone had gathered around my barrel heater for the evening debriefing, it was glowing red hot, more heat than I expected.
Humor is necessary, so I became the WNC Heat Fairy that next evening, similar to the Tooth Fairy, but instead of taking teeth, I deliver the heat in the night. Plenty of free wood fuel, everywhere.
Was building a limousine business specializing in weddings and related, rat rod style, not boring shiny black cars, but Helene changed the plan. I have great connections with several of the most popular wedding venues in WNC, and years of experience, so that will happen soon as possible.
Happily working for free now, but need to pay the bills, so I am asking for some help so I can keep going. Will be delivering supplies and wellness checks and so on with truck, trailer, car.
Adding a vehicle for passenger transportation when I have the funds, lots of people lost their vehicles and will need transportation, for-hire insurance is very expensive. About $6000 per year expensive. A friend has a Suburban for sale for $5000, half-ton 2500 chassis, turbo diesel, 4wd, fresh transmission. Would be good for my needs, needs funds to purchase, thanks!
There are many people in Western NC who need everything. I am working on the warm part, for the volunteers doing the searching, rescuing, supplies delivering, comforting, and rebuilding when we get to that, and the people who need my heat. We are still very much in survival mode. Winter in the mountains of NC is cold, especially with no shelter, heat, utilities. Cold weather everythings are needed now. Comfort mode is somewhere in the future for many, if ever.
Feels odd to be creating a GiveSendGo, but I never thought I would be going somewhere to look for something to eat and water either, and I wasn’t unprepared, but… wow. Two weeks of no electricity or well water or cellular service was a bit stressing, and I was fortunate. Now my situation is much better and I am working to make a better situation for WNC. The damage is incredible. The response from citizens is also incredible. I have to help fix it. And fix my own situation, will begin adding paid delivery jobs to generate income as things proceed, but for now I’m working for free. Need something moved? Contact me, maybe I can help.
Photo documenting my adventures on smugmug and X. Hurricane and Blue Ridge Parkway.
Follow me on the X. Help me help others.
https://thomasinthemountains.smugmug.com
wncheatfairy@proton.me
One less cold night…
Thanks!
Heater details: Building two styles of heater. Outdoor is vertical, ‘burn barrel’ style, open top with ❤️ shaped air holes near the bottom. Turns out a ❤️ is fastest shape to cut. Indoor horizontal style requires a kit available at Tractor Supply for nearly $100. Kit consists of a connector to attach a standard size metal stovepipe for exhaust chimney, 2 leg pieces, door and surround assembly, necessary hardware. Time to build is about 10-30 minutes, outdoor/indoor style. These make lots o warm. We need hundreds? Thousands? Nobody knows really. Probly lots though. Can be used for cooking with standard kitchen oven rack.
hope this helps!! All the way from WA State we care!!! God Bless!
Good luck and God bless ya.
Know it’s been a hard slog. Use for protein, sandwich whathaveyou. Praying that God give you Wisdom as you plan next best steps.
Wildflower
Sending Love and Prayer to #WNC for warmth and recovery XOXO
God bless you for helping people stay warm with your welding skills making these barrels into stoves. Really inspiring to see you doing this, and so many people doing other help for their neighbors suffering.
Keep up the great work in WNC!!
Thank you!
Keep tweeting this out!
Wish I could give more. God Bless you and the work you are doing!!
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