It was last fall that much of the Southeastern U.S. was victimized by the effects of major hurricanes Milton and Helene. One of those areas hit extremely hard was in the mountains of North Carolina, about 50 east of Ashville. On 1490 WDAN’S CHEERS program with Pat O’Shaughnessy, we recently met two people heavily involved in the recovery efforts; and looking for anyone in this area can offer their help.
Well known area baseball and softball coach Randy Skaggs met Ronnie Maynard through efforts of the Second Church of Christ. The warehouse for Maynard’s electric supplies business has become a hub for getting help to those left in mountains desperate for assistance. As Skaggs shared on the program, one story that really got his attention was of a mom who lost her seven-year-old son during the storms.
AUDIO: It’s just so heartbreaking. Unless you’re here to actually see it, you just don’t understand it. They talked about one mom on top of her roof, holding on to I believe her seven-year-old son; and he just finally slipped out of her hands. And, you know, he got washed down the river. As as he’s getting washed down the river he goes, ” Mom, Jesus will save me.”
Ronnie Maynard explained that just one of things they’ve been doing is building temporary tiny houses for those with nowhere to go or stay. He says they might be built right on someone’s own property, or in a quickly put together campsite.
AUDIO: The tiny houses; we started those because there were a lot of people living in tents. And it was starting to get cold. The first time the snow came through, we realized that people didn’t need to be sitting in tents with snow on top of their tents. And there were people with their tents blowing down in the middle of the night and everything, so we decided that we needed to get these people out of their tents and into something warm. They’re not really tiny houses; they’re sheds that are insulated.
One point Randy Skaggs made was that stories about this on social media are often seen and shared by women and children. But the message needs to get out to ALL PEOPLE of ALL AGES who might be able to help.
AUDIO: I need men. We need men, women; I don’t care; that can help build. Because you’re talking two to six inches this weekend, and you’ve still got people in tents. And all these units need to be built so people can get inside for safety.
Skaggs says you don’t have to be a skilled carpenter to help. You can help with insulation, help with painting, or with everything else like packing and clean up.
Any financial donations can be sent to the United Christian Alliance, P O Box 8310 in Morganton, NC. (28655 or 28680).
If you’d like to learn more about joining Randy Skaggs and everyone helping in North Carolina, give him at call at 217-474-7310.
For more on all of this, including some amazing stories of survival and perseverance, please listen to the entire CHEERS program at https://vermilioncountyfirst.com/cheers-vermilion-county/
