Miami Valley man collecting supplies, traveling to storm ravaged North Carolina

GREENE COUNTY — Volunteers here in the Miami Valley are doing what they can to help people in the Carolinas affected by Hurricane Helene.

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As reported Thursday on News Center 7 at 6:00, Don Fritts is collecting supplies to help

The death toll reached over 200 after the storm roared ashore last week in northwestern Florida as a strong Category 4 storm.

News Center 7′s Amber Jenkins said she has a personal connection to the Carolina mountains. She graduated from Western Carolina in 2022 and has college friends dealing with Helene’s aftermath.

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Hurricane Helene’s aftermath in North Carolina has been described as “Biblical Devastation.”

Jenkins received pictures from college friends in Western Carolina who experienced the destruction firsthand.

>>Photos: Hurricane Helene leaves parts of North Carolina under water

Many Ohioans are praying for the people in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Fritts told Jenkins he thought about moving to Western Carolina five years ago but settled here in Ohio to be close to his family.

“We’ve been there many times, almost moved there five years ago and moved to Florida before coming back here. But my connection is more with wanting to help those folks,” he said.

Fritts wants to help.

Through Samaritan’s Purse, a religious humanitarian aid organization, he will drive his truck full of supplies to Asheville, North Carolina, making those in need a top priority.

“I’m a member of their group and I’m going to go there and work with them for three days next week. But I thought, what a great opportunity to take a truckload of needed supplies, materials, and personal items as I go,” he said.

Don told Jenkins that he is collecting items at Grace Baptist Church in Cedarville at the 100 block of North Main Street until Sunday.

That is when he will start his journey south.

We will update this story.

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