NEWS
Davidson Rallies for Western N.C. Neighbors
Adah Fitzgerald and Karen Toney with one of the 14 truck and car loads of materials.
Last week most folks in Davidson exhaled a sigh of relief that our town, our neighborhoods were spared the worst of Tropical Storm Helene. There were some downed trees and a little bit of flooding, but quick response from Town of Davidson staff ensured that roads were back open quickly.
But before we could take too many breaths, it became quickly apparent that our neighbors to the west of us were facing the brunt of the down-graded storm that had initially hit Florida as a category IV hurricane.
As Davidson had experienced, it had rained all day Thursday in most Western North Carolina counties – rain that was unrelated to Helene. Those all-day rains had many creeks and rivers overflowing their banks.
By early to mid-Friday afternoon, news from Western N.C. turned catastrophic. While Jim Cantore was in Florida, the Weather Channel had pre-positioned a team in Asheville near Biltmore Village. As a result, people could watch as flood waters kept rising.
Throughout the weekend, the news only got worse. The damage in Western N.C. was being described as catastrophic. Davidson resident Kate Barr heard about an effort to deliver items to the Statesville Regional Airport, and she called several friends.
Adah Fitzgerald jumped in and offered to ask people to drop donations off at Main Street Books. Karen Toney joined the effort and offered free scoops to people who donated.
Not surprisingly, Davidson residents responded. They had set the deadline of 4 p.m. for donation drop offs, and there were still people showing up with armfuls and carloads of donations in the moments after the deadline.
Adah said that one donor had contacted her neighbors, and they sent her money. She purchased roughly $1000 worth of much-needed materials that filled a Toyota Forerunner to the gills.
A photo of some of the items being loaded at the Statesville Regional Airport (Karen Toney photo)
By the time they loaded up the final items, Davidson residents had donated 14 carloads/truckloads of items. Some of the items were loaded into aircraft for flights into affected areas, while the rest of it was loaded into a Red Cross tractor trailer truck.
They repeated their efforts Tuesday. Karen flipped the tables and took her Ben & Jerry’s mobile set up to the Statesville Regional airport to give free ice cream to the hundreds of volunteers.
Karen Toney and one of her colleagues scooping ice cream for volunteers at the Statesville Regional Airport.
Meanwhile, local business owner Kim Hankins Fournier of Knotty & Board, who is also a broker with Movement Mortgage, is partnering with those colleagues to collect items as well. Their list of needed items is featured on this graphic.
Their efforts will partner with local nonprofits, houses of worship, or people known to colleagues. Knotty and Board has dedicated a large portion of their warehouse at Exit 31 as a collection point for relief aid spearheaded by Movement Mortgage. They are collecting water, diapers, non-perishable food items and any essential supplies. Donations can be dropped at the rear loading dock at 204 Transco Rd, Mooresville NC 28031 between 7 AM and 6 PM.
And as noted in a separate article, starting Wednesday – Davidson residents can make donations at the Town Public Safety building located at 216 S. Main Street.
Officials in Western North Carolina are still strongly urging people NOT to drive to Western N.C. In many communities, local law enforcement will stop anyone trying to enter and ask to see proof of home/property ownership.
We urge our Davidson family to support our neighbors in Western N.C. via the Town’s efforts or the work of organizations like the Red Cross.