Posts outside the impacted areas continued to collect supplies for those still recovering from Hurricane Helenes devastation.
A hundred-some miles from the worst of the damage, Department of Tennessee East Vice Commander James McLaughlin has relied on those living amidst Hurricane Helenes aftermath to lead the Legion Familys efforts to help their communities recover.
He couldnt be prouder of those efforts.
You can see Legion Family written all over it, because they have all banded together to do whats necessary, McLaughlin said.
McLaughlins main goal when he became East Tennessee Vice Commander was to get the posts in the district more involved with each other We cant do this if we stay in our post home and never venture out and the efforts hes seen from East Tennessee since Helene dumped record amounts of rainfall, flooding the area, have heartened him.
He emphasized the efforts of Paulette Baldwin, commander of Post 49 in Elizabethton, and Eric Scott Foulks, the First District Commander.
Were limited in communication; theres a lot of phone lines still down, McLaughlin said. (Scott is) going out every day, checking on membership, checking on communities, doing what he has to do.
One of those things Foulks has to do? Doing Buddy Checks in and around Post 61 in Mountain City. A lack of communication with Legion Family there prompted Foulks to come up with a solution.
Scott is rounding up five or six horses and five or six volunteers, and hes fixing to do Buddy Checks by horseback, McLaughlin said. I told him, youre no longer the First District Commander, youre now the Cowboy Commander.
As for Baldwin, who was just elected post commander in July, theres been no easing into the job.
She is organizing relief supplies, which county it needs to go to, shes guiding the trucks in and putting them where they need to be, and then shes delivering (to those counties), McLaughlin said. She had a couple post members tell her, Commander, youre killing us. She told them, I wont let you die, we just have work to do. Thats the kind of commander thats running that post now. Everybody in the states bragging on her sworn in in July, and shes doing all this for her community.
McLaughlin also praised the support Tennessee has received from other departments.
The entire family has responded, and theyre going to have to do it again because Milton is bearing down on Tampa, Fla. McLaughlin said Wednesday, hours before Hurricane Milton struck Florida. It just goes to show you how the Legion Family, the mentality of that, can spread. Not just within your department but actually between the states. I have witnessed an overwhelming response from our sister departments across the southeast. They are coming to help, they are doing what they can. Its surprising to see people care so much in this world.
Relief efforts continue in North Carolina as well. Department of North Carolina NECman David Shore addressed his states status during Thursday mornings National Executive Committee meeting in Indianapolis.
I want to express my appreciation for all the departments thats sending aid and thoughts and prayers to the western part of North Carolina, Shore said. Right now, all the dropoff points are full. So if youre sending a truck, (it may be diverted) to Florida. But what they do need (in western North Carolina), they need blankets, they need coats, because it is getting cold in those mountains. Gift cards, cash, National Emergency Fund is a great place to channel some of your efforts.
Assistance and recovery efforts continued in Helenes aftermath, even as Hurricane Milton surged toward Florida. Heres a look at some of those efforts by the Legion Family:
South Carolina
Post 30 Commander Winston Boddie his posts efforts on Legiontown.
Roads were closed, trees were down, and utilities were disrupted everywhere. A curfew was also in place. But South Carolinas Hezzie Griffis Post 30 members were determined to ensure that their post comrades in Edgefield were safe from Hurricane Helenes havoc and that their immediate needs were being met, Boddie wrote.
Boddie, Adjutant Jane Doolittle, Treasurer Doug Timmerman, and Kathy Everitt, formed a Buddy Check task force to check in on their fellow post members.
With no electricity available at the post facility, the task force set up a table outside in daylight and went through the membership roster, calling each member, sometimes with cellphones that had been charged by car batteries, Boddie wrote. Were happy to report that none of the members who were Buddy Checked experienced serious damage to their homes. Although many are still without power, running water and maybe a generator, everyone is safe and has access to basic necessities.
Georgia
While the area around Post 248 in Blue Ridge was largely spared from Helenes destruction, one post member was trapped on her property after trees fell across her driveway. Post 248 Commander James C. Jim Callender on Legiontown that post members Kerry Dills (and his son), Tim Doherty, Fletcher Stroemer, Daryl Westberry and SAL member Chas Auten responded and cleared the driveway within a few hours of her request for help.
Post and Auxiliary members also volunteered to support our Fannin County Fire Department (FCFD) and Emergency Management Agency (EMA) in receiving and sorting donated disaster relief supplies and loading trailers that were transported by the FCFD/EMA directly to those impacted counties in western North Carolina and eastern Georgia, including the Augusta area, Callender wrote. This was a multi-day mission which began right after storm impact and continues today. Post volunteers included Commander Jim Callender, Chris McKee, Paul Russell, Mark Smith, Tim Doherty, Jeff Immel, Katrina Rmiglietta and Bob Bradley. Auxiliary volunteers included Leslie Callender and Star Smith. SAL member Chas Auten also volunteered. In addition to volunteering in this effort, the Post Executive Committee approved an immediate expenditure of $500 for disaster relief supplies, which were purchased and provided to the FCFD by Rmiglietta, the post deputy finance officer.
Post members Chris McKee, Paul Hunter, Harold Bargeron, John Grizzell, Bill Stodghill, Bob Bradley, Floyd Balance, Commander Jim Callender and SAL member Chas Auten also collected cash donations for disaster relief supplies for six hours on Oct. 5.
Indiana
Post 117 was collecting items including bottled water, baby formula, diapers and canned food through noon Thursday to take to areas impacted by Helene.
Maryland
Post 194 was collecting donations through Oct. 10 with plans to transport the supplies to Post 321 in Huntersville, N.C., the following day.
Post 18 also continues to collect donations for transport to Post 321, including powdered sports drinks, powdered hydration packs, baby wipes, diapers, baby formula, big spray, sunscreen, plastic utensils, manual can openers, 13-gallon or contractor-size trash bags, nonperishable foods, cleaning supplies, plastic sheeting and tarps, toothbrushes, toothpaste, toiletries, sanitation items, pet food, hand sanitizer, feminine hygiene products, heavy duty work gloves, socks and water.
Michigan
Post 141 in Howell continues to collect supplies and provided an update from Post 70 in Asheville, N.C., : Word from Asheville Post 70, initial aid shipment has been distributed throughout the community with the assistance of a local church. They are receiving shipment in from other locations and are acting as a primary distribution center for the community. Most residents are still without power and potable water, many are missing. Our continued support is crucial and necessary to bridge shortfalls in emergency response, please continue to spread the word and donate if youre able.
- Emergency