While many are waiting until flood waters from Hurricane Florence recede in North Carolina before assessing needs, some Bulloch County residents already have the ball rolling with collection and delivery efforts.
Christian Social Ministries has paired up with New Covenant Church and its “4 His Glory” ministry to send items urgently needed by hurricane victims, and they delivered the first two trailer loads Thursday.
Local real estate firm Weichert Realtors, on Northside Drive East and Bel Air Drive, is collecting food and items as well, said realtor William Webb.
Other groups will be doing the same by next week, said Bulloch County Public Safety Director Ted Wynn.
“We discussed this and planned to wait until the waters receded” so there would be no confusion or interference with immediate responses, he said. But after the flooding lessens, there will have been enough time for first responders in North Carolina to organize places to store and distribute donations, he said.
He and other county leaders expect to meet next week to organize and begin food and supply drives, as well as delivery of the items. Also, Wynn, as well as local VOAD (Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster) volunteer DeWayne Grice and Esther Sheppard, Southeast and Coastal American Red Cross director, will speak Monday at noon at the Statesboro Rotary Club meeting at Forest Heights Country Club about the mission to help.
Thursday, however, the first loads from Bulloch County were headed north, said John Long, pastor with Christian Social Ministries.
Statesboro New Covenant Church Pastor David McLendon “reached out to us” about a partnership, Long said.
McLendon said church members Tim Piazza and Don Stuart formed the fledgling ministry “4 His Glory” and set out to deliver two loaded trailers Thursday.
The ministry plans to take the goods to Shallotte, North Carolina — 30 miles from Wilmington — and give the donations to a church there for distribution. While there, they also plan to cook and serve hot meals.
“They are building a cooking trailer for response to disasters like this,” he said.
Long said several local churches and civic clubs have donated time, goods and money to the cause.
Webb said Weichert Realtors is working with CSM to collect goods.
“It very well could have been us under 10 feet of water,” he said.
The company is using its customer moving truck as a drop-off point and has already collected from Heritage Bank, Lowe’s and other businesses, as well as individuals.
Blue barrels for drop-off points are at Bi-Lo, Connections Church, Renasant Bank, Synovus on Fair Road, Statesboro First Baptist Church and the CSM food bank on North Zetterower Avenue, as well as the CSM headquarters on North Parrish Street and beside the Dollar Tree in College Plaza.
Items needed are nonperishable foods; rubber gloves; toiletries such as toothbrushes, toothpaste and other dental products, hair brushes, combs, soap, body wash, deodorant, shampoo, baby powder and baby wipes, diapers, and feminine products; paper towels; toilet paper; bleach; bug spray; bandages; antiseptics such as rubbing alcohol; and bottled water.
Anyone needing information on how to help may contact Long at (912) 512-0107.
Herald reporter Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912) 489-9414.