Victims of Helene need our help

I told some of my friends that I had to be at least 1,700 years old because I had seen three 500-year flood and two 100-year floods – all courtesy of hurricanes. I am getting ready to put in my claim as the new Methuselah.

Those of us who live in Eastern North Carolina have become adept at dealing with hurricanes. After all, we have faced a slew of these storms over the years.

What hurricanes are to us, blizzards are to the folks of Western North Carolina. Helene, the worst storm to hit that area in 100 years or more, taught them tragic lessons about the devastations that wind and downpours of rain can have.

I recently saw a satellite photograph made on Sept. 28 that showed a swath of blackness so huge that Florida looked like it had been severed from the rest of the United States. The states of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia were all part of that section of the eastern United States without power that formed a black streak. That photo gave visual evidence of just how widespread Helene’s destruction had been – and still is.

For a number of years, I enjoyed going to the western part of our state. I have eaten BBQ and listened to bluegrass music at Bill Stanley’s BBQ and Bluegrass in Asheville. We visited the Biltmore House, the Grove Park Inn, and other sites around Asheville. Sandra and I went to Cherokee – and I attended seminars at the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching in Cullowhee.

For several years, we spent a week near Banner Elk. We have eaten at the Banner Elk Café in its namesake city and the Daniel Boone Inn in Boone. Michael received his Master’s in Library Science from Appalachian State in Boone. Grandfather Mountain was our favorite places to take grandkids.

Now, according to the NC Department of Transportation, we should consider all roads in Western Carolina closed. Those who are dealing with this storm are begging people not to come to the North Carolina mountains unless they are coming to help or bringing supplies.

I am sure you have seen photos of the destruction of roads – even Interstate 40. You have seen the flooded streets, the ruined buildings, and the cars flipped by water or still underwater.

One of my friends in Emergency Response told me that as time goes by, the smell of decaying flesh – both human and animals – fills the air more and more. As I write these words, the death toll sits at 100, but dozens more people are missing. A good bet is that many who are missing now will turn up as corpses buried in the mud.

Many people in the western part of our state still are without power, still are without cell phone service, and still are without food and water. Simply put: They need our help. A number of organizations are assisting those in such dire need, but they need the resources. Some of our area people have sent food, water, and other supplies, but the greatest need is money.

If you have a mind to help relieve our fellow citizens, here are some links that will allow you to give or volunteer:

            The Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation.html/

            Samaritan’s Purse: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/

            Baptists on Missions: https://baptistsonmission.org/Mission-Projects/By-Mission-Type/Disaster-Relief/Hurricane-Helene

Also, a number of local organizations and churches are collecting items to take to Western Carolina, so pay attention. Be sure to check the lists of needed items so you can target your efforts effectively.

            Please let your light shine. May the Lord bless you.

            Mike Parker is a columnist for the Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.