Hurricane Helene shattered the lives of countless civilians in North and South Carolina as its effects stretch across state lines. The emotional turmoil and harrowing stories of survivors sparked an itch across Coastal Carolina University’s (CCU) campus to help aid victims among the Carolinas.
Helene made landfall on Sept. 26, exhausting Florida and approaching the southeast. Just a day later, it slashed through the Carolinas, leaving residents homeless and without power, food or water.
Roads were demolished and cherished towns are now underwater.
Kadence Matthews, senior exercise and sport science major from Greenwood, South Carolina, is deeply saddened with the destruction of her once resilient hometown.
Greenwood County had the highest amount of power outages in the United States following Helene, followed closely by Laurens County. As of Oct. 2, 486,858 South Carolinians were without power.
Matthews was looking forward to visiting home for her mother’s birthday the day the hurricane struck– but she was told not to, considering the circumstances.
“Over there, they’re in a natural disaster and so it’s kind of crazy that all my friends and family are going through this and I’m just living day-to-day life,” Matthews said.
Matthews explained how excessive flooding and fallen trees crushing cars have left a significant number of Greenwood residents homeless.
She expressed her concern for her great grandmother whose house was hammered by four trees, her grandmother’s flooded basement, and a genuine worry for her community.
“It’s just kind of in the back of my mind. Especially my best friend– her sister has a baby and she’s pregnant,” she said.
Leah Levert, CCU’s community & civic engagement coordinator, expressed her empathy toward victims of Hurricane Helene when she explained that flooding has played a pivotal role in her own life.
She was a student at CCU in 2017 working on her master’s thesis when Hurricane Florence hit.
She was evacuated and later volunteered to help local, destroyed communities.
“I’ve had that hands on wreck experience of helping people rip their homes up and having entire walls crumble in your fingertips,” Levert said.
Levert and the Civic Engagement Office have initiated a donation drive for residents affected by Hurricane Helene, collecting donations through Nov. 3 with the drop off location at Lib Jackson Student Union Room A-103. Donations will then be distributed to Agape Care Group, a hospice care group, and The American Red Cross, to aid those affected by the hurricane in South Carolina.
“It almost feels like you can’t not do anything,” Levert said.
Saskia Herron, a graduate student employed at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, experienced the catastrophic hurricane firsthand.
“Friday’s when the power went out and then the water went out” Herron said.
As a naturally anxious person, Herron waited in anticipation for the hurricane. But she was told that “it wouldn’t be bad.”
Luckily, Herron was able to evacuate that Saturday after the hurricane hit to safety in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“It was terrifying because a lot of people were not prepared,” she said.
Junior and middle level education major Kailey Deemer and her family were eager to assist victims after hearing about the wreckage, so they took matters into their own hands and conducted a donation drive.
With the help of local restaurants and businesses, donations were dropped off at The Grumpy Monk, The Sneaky Beagle, New South and Hop N’ Wich.
“We love the whole Asheville area. It’s like our second home” Deemer said.
Cari Rosiek, associate athletic director for student athlete enhancement, had a lot of contacts reaching out to ask if they were organizing a drive once again.
“Without a doubt, we jumped on board,” Rosiek said.
This is the University’s Department of Athletics fourth hurricane relief effort which first began in 2016 after having joined the Sun Belt Conference. After the hurricane struck, Rosiek contacted Appalachian State University’s Athletic Department to find out what they needed.
“We do have a historic history of turning some frowns upside down,” Rosiek said.
The Department of Athletics initiated a hurricane relief effort seeking non-perishable food items and disaster relief supplies. This will remain active until Nov. 8 at 132 Chanticleer Drive West, Conway, S.C. 29526 Arcadia Hall Office #102.
“We’re going to keep this drive going for a solid month and hope to be extremely impactful in the Western North Carolina communities,” she said.
