12“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)
Exactly one week ago, I had just made it to work. I had to turn around two times to get out of Richmond Hill, as large pine trees had fallen across two major roadways that I would usually take to get to Savannah. The wind was still blowing at tropical storm strength, the rain had passed, but the destruction from Hurricane Helene was still unknown in the Savannah area. I had been up since 2 AM, when our power had gone out and the gusts from the storm were shaking our home so strongly that it was impossible to fall back asleep. Our power, along with the entire city of Richmond Hill, would be out for thirty hours, a minor inconvenience for the people of our city compared to what others are enduring through this storm. It has been a long week, and today is my first day off, something I even feel guilty having while my brothers and sisters in blue in areas like Asheville, NC, continue to work around the clock to rescue people trapped by the storm. The death toll from Helene has risen to 215, making this the deadliest storm since Hurricane Katrina. Savannah was caught off guard by the intensity of this storm. We were forecast to only have to deal with Tropical Stom like conditions, but the windspeeds recorded were over the threshold of a hurricane. As I type this, there are still areas in Savannah without power, still powerlines down, still down trees blocking roadway. The mayor of Savannah did not activate the local emergency response until Monday, when the true extent of the damage had come to light, and I have been working ever since, heading home after each 15-16 hour day to grab a few hours of sleep before heading back. There was not much rescuing needed in Savannah, just dealing with the criminal element trying to take advantage of the situation.
By now, if you were not in the path of this monster storm and saw it for yourself, you have seen the pictures and videos, flooding local news, national news, and social media accounts. Devastation stretched far south from Perry, FL, where the storm made landfall, all the way to the picturesque city of Asheville, NC. I was heartbroken to see the damage from the storm surge that hit the Tampa Bay area, destroying much of our old stomping grounds of Anna Maria Island, St. Armands Circle, and Siesta Key Beach. Our family in south central Georgia is still without powers, with tall pines that have weathered many storms over the 19-years I have known my wife now toppled over. Asheville, who captured our hearts years ago when we first visited, will never be the same.
As I have done in the past, I want to share ways that you can help. Below is a list of incredible organizations that were staged before the storm even hit, ready to push their supplies into the areas that needed them the most. If you have the means to support any of these, now is the time. Let’s be the hands and feet, and help get these poor people the relief they need.
For a full list of verified charity organizations, vetted by Charity Navigator, click here.
For those reeling from this storm, hold on child, help is on the way.
Common Sense Reborn 