Helping Hands: Iredell Pilots Stepping Forward to Deliver Hurricane Relief

10/8/2024

This article was written by Donna Swicegood and originally appeared in the Mooresville Tribune on Oct 4. 2024 as a front page cover feature. The original article can be found here.

Just a couple of days after heavy rains from Hurricane Helene left western North Carolina residents stranded, with no way to access food or clean water, Iredell residents began looking for ways to help.

Teams of firefighters from Mooresville and Statesville and 13 officers from the Statesville Police Department all headed to various areas in the western part of the state to lend a hand.

And others wanted to do something — anything — to get needed supplies to those affected by the devastating flooding.

The problem was many roads and bridges were damaged to the point they were impassable. Getting the donations to those in need would have to be done by air.

That's when several local pilots volunteered their planes and time to take food, cleaning and hygiene supplies and bottles of water to be distributed by local officials to residents in a number of western North Carolina areas.

Dr. Andrew Gross, a physician at Lake Norman Regional Medical Center, was one of those pilots who took part in delivering those supplies.

Gross said he saw information on social media about efforts to get supplies to the area, and on Sunday, he walked into the Statesville Regional Airport to volunteer his Cessna and his time. “I asked what I could do,” he said.

Since the news of the devastation in the North Carolina mountains began reaching the area, social media posts asked for folks to drop off donations at the airport, and pilots also began offering up their services to get those supplies where they needed to go.

Gross is just one of hundreds of local people wanting to do their part — either by donating those supplies or flying them to the mountains.

Gross said he flew to Ashe County and that he chose that location because the airport was deemed safe and he had a clear weather window to make the flight.

He said he didn't get a chance to see the destruction in that area. He landed, unloaded the donations and came back to Statesville in a short span of time.

The airport is continuing to accept donations for hurricane relief. The four fire stations in Statesville will also accept donations from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and the airport is taking donations until 4 p.m. daily. The fire stations are located as follows: Station 1, 822 Fifth St.; Station 2, llO Security Drive; Station 3, 779 Eastside Drive; and Station 4, 115 Martin Lane.

Items being accepted are sports drinks (powdered packets), hydration packs (powder form), baby wipes, diapers for children and adults, baby formula, bug spray, sunscreen, plastic utensils, manual can openers, trash bags (l3 gallon or contractor bags), nonperishable foods, cleaning supplies, plastic sheeting/tarps, toothbrushes, toothpaste, toiletries/sanitation items, pet food (dog and cat), hand sanitizer, sanitizer wipes, feminine hygiene products, heavy duty work gloves, unopened packs of socks (all sizes).

Shepherds Fire Rescue will be collecting items for the disaster relief effort in Western North Carolina.

Accepted items include water (case quantity); sports drinks (powdered packets), hydration packets, nonperishable food items, baby wipes, baby formula, diapers (children and adult), bug spray, sunscreen, plastic utensils, manual can openers, cleaning supplies, plastic sheeting/tarps, toothbrushes, toothpaste, toiletries, feminine hygiene supplies, dog and cat food, sanitizer and socks (all sizes, packaged), new clothes only.

Items can be dropped off at either Station 1, 2O14 Charlotte Highway, Mooresville, or Station 2, 204 Doolie Road, Mooresville. Donations are accepted between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. If crews aren't there to accept donations, leave them by the front door.

Purple Heart Homes will be seeing as a supply drop point for employees, partners, and community members who would like to contribute to Hurricane Helene relief efforts.

Community members may make drop Offers at 755 Washington Ave. in Statesville during regular business hours (Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) through Oct. 10. Follow the directional signs to the loading dock upon arrival. Contact Terry Joyner at 704-5O0-5346 if you need to coordinate afterhours drop offs.

PHH will also be collecting donations from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Southern Distilling, 211 Jennings Road, during the annual Take That Hill cycling event.

The following items, which have been identified as most needed, are being accepted: powdered sports and hydration drink mix, baby wipes, diapers (children and adults) baby formula, bug spray, sunscreen, plastic utensils, manual can openers, trash bags (13 gallon or contractor bags), nonperishable foods, cleaning supplies, plastic sheeting/tarps, toothbrushes and toothpaste, toiletries/sanitation items, hand sanitizer/sanitizer wipes, feminine hygiene products, heavy duty work gloves, unopened packs of socks and bottled water.

Please do not bring used clothing, hazmat or flammable items, most chemicals, including bleach or fuel.

Local animal rescue groups are also joining the effort.

Piedmont Animal Rescue and Rescue Ranch are partnering to fly supplies to the mountains. Donations can be dropped off at either PAR, 228 E. Waterlynn Road, Mooresville, and Rescue Ranch, 1424 Turnersburg Highway, Statesville.

Items being sought include bottled drinking water (gallon jugs or bottles), any pet supplies, any dry dog or cat food and Breeder's Edge Formula.

Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce is also facilitating donation drop offs in Mecklenburg and Iredell counties. The following are drop off locations (contact the location directly concerning hours): Randy Marion Chevrolet showroom, 220 W. Plaza Drive, Mooresville; Petscreening, 603 S. Church St., Suite 218, Mooresville, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; North State Development, l8825 W. Catawba Ave., Suite, 250, Cornelius. 704-997-8255; Lazer Engraving Specialists, 19607 W. Catawba Ave., Suite 103, Cornelius, 704-641-2587 (Monday through Thursday, 8a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Everest Gymnastics, 19340 Liverpool Parkway, Cornelius, 704-948-1449; Payroll Plus HMC, 19300 Statesville Road, Cornelius (8:3o a.m. to 6 p.m.); Southwire Co. (main lobby), 12311 Commerce Station Drive, Huntersville (9a.m. to noon); Randy Clarion GMC showroom, 13107 Statesville Road, Huntersville (8:3O a.m. to 6 p.m.); Whole Pets Vets, upstairs lobby, 455 S. Main St., Davidson (8:3o a.m. to 6 p.m.); Whole Pets Vets, Mountain Island (North Charlotte), 36o5 Mount Holly Huntersville Road, Charlotte (8:3o a.m. to 6 p. m.) Items being accepted include nonperishable foods (vegetables, beans, fruits), RMEs (ready to eat meals), water, baby formula, diapers and baby supplies, batteries, protein bars, pet food, feminine hygiene products.

For those interested in monetary donations, checks can be made payable to the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce Foundation, a 501©(3) charitable nonprofit. Funds will go directly to those in need. Please mail donations to: Lake Norman Chamber Foundation, PO Box 76o, Cornelius, NC 28031.

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