‘We’re all that somebody’: Two local people collecting items for hurricane victims in North Carolina

QUINCY — Two local people are collecting items this weekend to benefit the victims of widespread flooding in North Carolina after last week’s Hurricane Helene, with plans to deliver them next week.

Realtor Sherry Hills saw images and videos of people trapped in attics and on rooftops and thought somebody ought to do something about it.

“But then I heard God say, ‘You’re that somebody,’” Hills said. “We’re all that somebody.”

Karl Anderson, who just made it back to Quincy after being trapped in North Carolina himself, also is collecting donations. Anderson, a truck driver, has received permission from Sharkey Transportation in Quincy to use a semi-truck to transport donations himself next week. Hills and Anderson are coordinating with a church in North Carolina to facilitate distribution.

Donations can be dropped off at Sam’s Club, 700 N. 54th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday in the north end of the parking lot near Menard’s.

People who wish to donate, but can’t make it to Sam’s Club, can contact Hills at (217) 740-6820 to orchestrate a time and place for pickup. Items also can be ordered on Amazon and shipped to Happel Inc. Realtors, 4439 Broadway, with a note indicating the items are for the collection.

Items Hills and Anderson are collecting must be new. They need:

• large tarps (20×20 or 16×16),
• cups,
• buckets,
• mops (industrial if possible),
• drop cords,
• any kind of powder but especially foot powder,
• Ziplock bags of any size,
• diaper cream,
• baby wipes and bath wipes,
• water boots, sizes 9 through 12,
• boot socks,
• non-perishable food items,
• adult and baby diapers,
• baby formula and
• various toiletry items.

Monetary donations are being accepted via Venmo (@backyard-barber) and CashApp ($backyardbarberlawn) by Anderson’s daughter, Kelsey Harper, who was trapped with her father in North Carolina.

Harper said in a Facebook post that volunteers are needed for Sunday’s collection efforts at Sam’s Club to assist in sorting and packing the truck. Interested people can simply show up, and “they’ll put them to work.”

President Biden increased funding to several states Wednesday night, ensuring the federal government covers the recovery costs. In addition to the 5,000 personnel who have been deployed to the region, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has shipped:

• 9.3 million meals,
• 11.2 million liters of water,
• 150 generators and
• 260,000 tarps.

More than 200 people have died, hundreds are still missing and millions are without power and running water as a result of Hurricane Helene. Communication is limited, with several cell phone towers wiped out. 

The situation has been especially catastrophic in North Carolina, which accounts for about half of the death toll.