By Heather Michon
Correspondent
Fluvanna County residents filled the truck with donations in just four days.
In fact, by the time driver/organizer Trey Brown headed out, residents had also almost filled a second full trailer. This second shipment will be headed Bristol, Tennessee in the coming days.
Trey’s wife, Tamara Brown, said they had been “blown away” by the generosity of the community.
Trey Brown had fond memories of vacationing in western North Carolina with his grandparents as a child. After seeing the devastating floods brought by Hurricane Helene in late September, he decided he needed to act.
The trucking company he drives for supported his plan for a supply drive, and Tractor Supply gave them space in the parking lot. Volunteers stepped up to help sort and load the mountain of donations that flowed in after the call for supplies went out.
Before leaving on Saturday, Brown reached out to officials on the ground in North Carolina to arrange a drop-off at a location just outside the disaster zone. “They have to limit who’s in the disaster zone so they can focus on what needs to get done,” he explained in a Facebook comment. Once unloaded, the coordinators will ensure the supplies get to those in need by truck and airlift.
Brown posted a short video as he approached the drop location on Sunday morning. “I can’t thank you, everybody, for pulling all this together and helping me get down here and to help these people out,” he said.
If you would like to donate to support Helene victims in North Carolina, visit www.nc.gov/donate
Tennessee is asking for donations through the easterntennesseefoundation.org.
