Central Virginia groups help with Helene recovery as Hurricane Milton approaches
HOPEWELL, Va. (WRIC) — Local groups in Central Virginia are putting boots to the ground and helping with Helene relief efforts as the landfall of Hurricane Milton draws near. Hopewell's Beacon Hill Church members went to Florida for eight days to help residents in the wake of Hurricane Helene. They are still sending trucks and busloads of more supplies to disaster sites desperate for help. “I've seen a lot and been to a lot of places, but this is, this is overwhelming. Nothing prepares you for this,” said pastor Michael Moore. “A whole campground of mobile homes was washed away. There was a family who woke up with four feet of water in their trailer floating down the river.” Moore said supplies like survival gear, shovels, tents and saws are what victims need the most. He said he feels a sense of joy helping those in need. “Happiness can be taken away from you in an instant, but joy can never be taken away from you,” Moore said. “The joy of serving other people in need and how that community has embraced us, they're special people and we're honored to be a part of it.” Elsewhere, Saltys Lobster & Co., a Richmond food truck, put out a call to action to help them get some of what they need to make it down to Banner Elk, North Carolina, one of the hardest hit areas in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Owner Jonathan Kelly said the devastation was nothing he’d ever seen before. “Some of the roads are completely washed out,” Kelly said. “It's just dirt and it stinks of it. It's scary.” Kelly said resources like propane tanks, smokers and deep fry equipment will be left behind in hopes that other groups can use them to feed as many struggling victims as possible. “You don't have to be a restaurant owner or a food truck owner,” said Kelly. “What I'm doing is creating an infrastructure for other people that want to help but don't have the bandwidth or resources.” Kelly said his group would be staying for a week to help with recovery efforts for both Helene and Milton. As for Moore, his church has already raised $75,000 dollars and will be putting together a benefit concert this weekend for hurricane victims.
VENN
HOPEWELL, Va. (WRIC) — Local groups in Central Virginia are putting boots to the ground and helping with Helene relief efforts as the landfall of Hurricane Milton draws near.
Hopewell's Beacon Hill Church members went to Florida for eight days to help residents in the wake of Hurricane Helene. They are still sending trucks and busloads of more supplies to disaster sites desperate for help.
“I've seen a lot and been to a lot of places, but this is, this is overwhelming. Nothing prepares you for this,” said pastor Michael Moore. “A whole campground of mobile homes was washed away. There was a family who woke up with four feet of water in their trailer floating down the river.”
Moore said supplies like survival gear, shovels, tents and saws are what victims need the most. He said he feels a sense of joy helping those in need.
“Happiness can be taken away from you in an instant, but joy can never be taken away from you,” Moore said. “The joy of serving other people in need and how that community has embraced us, they're special people and we're honored to be a part of it.”
Elsewhere, Saltys Lobster & Co., a Richmond food truck, put out a call to action to help them get some of what they need to make it down to Banner Elk, North Carolina, one of the hardest hit areas in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Owner Jonathan Kelly said the devastation was nothing he’d ever seen before.
“Some of the roads are completely washed out,” Kelly said. “It's just dirt and it stinks of it. It's scary.”
Kelly said resources like propane tanks, smokers and deep fry equipment will be left behind in hopes that other groups can use them to feed as many struggling victims as possible.
“You don't have to be a restaurant owner or a food truck owner,” said Kelly. “What I'm doing is creating an infrastructure for other people that want to help but don't have the bandwidth or resources.”
Kelly said his group would be staying for a week to help with recovery efforts for both Helene and Milton.
As for Moore, his church has already raised $75,000 dollars and will be putting together a benefit concert this weekend for hurricane victims.
