Casey English may have had Friday off, but don’t think for a minute she was enjoying a leisurely afternoon.
Hurricane Helene saw to that.
And English, a nurse who works at a hospital in her hometown of Greenville, S.C., was tending to a very specific segment of patients on this day.
New moms.
“They were the first people I thought of,” said English, who has children of her own.
“Moms take care of one another.”
That’s why she and her nursing colleagues Karrie Jowers and Noelle Roby began organizing a feeding drive for infants — even as the aforementioned storm was in the spiraling midst of its devastation across the Carolinas and Southeast.
Friday was a key drop-off day in the ongoing effort.
The trio is gathering donated supplies of breast milk. While gifts of formula are also appreciated, those offerings are at the whims of the water supply, which, in this case, has been rendered undrinkable, post-hurricane.
Helene hit hard (and still is)
To date, some 215 died in the in Category Four storm, which made landfall in Florida on Sept. 26.
Helene leveled whole towns in her wake and in addition to those who did not survive, hundreds remain missing, as rescue and recovery efforts and the cleanup continued Friday.
Across the Mountain State, several local groups were collecting supplies to truck down to survivors of the devastation.
Other outreach was upon the land, as well.
Because the hurricane cut such a wide swath inland, the American Red Cross needs shelter workers for hard-hit areas in McDowell and Mercer counties, along with neighboring Scioto County, Ohio.
The West Virginia National Guard is also mobilizing for a trip to South Carolina to help with the effort in the Palmetto State.
Around 30 members are expected to move out Tuesday from Summersville, said Bo Wriston, a public affairs officer in the Guard in West Virginia.
“They’re from various engineering companies,” he said. “They’re going to be busy.”
How you can help
Related, Veterans of Foreign Wars posts are linking up with their brothers and sisters in the American Legion are for a shared relief mission in the affected areas.
Temporary drop-off locations are being established across the state by both organizations and people may contact their local posts for details, state VFW Commander Richard Ogden said.
Across north-central West Virginia, Ultimate Shine, a carwash in White Hall, Marion County, has been collecting items from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily since Helene hit.
Bottled water, baby wipes, pet food, paper plates and plastic cutlery among the top items requested by organizers there.
Disaster Ministries, an arm of the United Methodist Church in West Virginia, is doing the same in across the state.
Bottled water is also a big item on the list, along with garbage bags, bleach and pet food.
Life United Methodist Church, on Technology Drive in Fairmont, is a key regional location.
Donations may be dropped off seven days a week through Oct. 9. Hours are 9 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sundays.
Flashlights, blankets and animal feed are among the more coveted drop-off items at Tractor Supply locations across Morgantown, Clarksburg, Buckhannon, Philippi and Weston.
In Morgantown, Salvation Army Capt. Dennis Smith said dollars never fail to go a long way in a disaster aftermath.
“Sometimes, that’s the most effective way,” he said, “especially in an area where roads and bridges are out because of the storm.”
Visit The Salvation Army USA to learn more how you can donate to Helene’s victims, he said.
One altruistic artist … and several cups of coffee for fuel
Meanwhile, WVU professor and Americana singer and songwriter Chris Haddox has composed another way to help.
Tunes from his self-titled album generally receive brisk play nationally and internationally and one, “O’ This River,” was born of a flooding disaster in White Sulphur Springs eight years ago.
Haddox is donating all sales of that song on the Bandcamp music site to flood relief.
“I thought it could take on a larger life,” he said in an email message.
To take on what was turning out to be a long day, English was pouring in a lot of coffee to keep going, she said Friday.
She was counting blessings, though, to go with her caffeine intake.
Greenville was hit with flooding and downed trees, she said.
Internet service and power was out in most places, but houses were still standing.
So was her hospital.
“I have a shift tomorrow.”
