LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
PARIS – For Stephanie Rasner, images of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene in Florida and Southern Appalachia looked all too familiar. The destruction caused by such storms is something she’s seen with her own two eyes.
Rasner, a Marshall, Ill. native, was in Lafayette, La. when Hurricane Katrina made landfall in the state on Aug. 28, 2005. “I actually spent 10 years in Louisiana, and I was in Hurricane Katrina. Even though I wasn’t greatly impacted by it, but… 20 minutes east of me was just obliterated,” Rasner recalled.
Now, Rasner looks on as an observer, checking for updates from a friend living in Buncombe County, where local officials have reported 61 of the 215 total deaths caused by the storm.
“I’ve got a friend that actually lives in Asheville, North Carolina,” said Rasner. “She, thankfully, is okay. So it kind of just hit home, so to speak.”
More than 500 miles away in Paris, Rasner began looking for ways to help Helene’s victims, many of whom are trapped in remote mountain communities after flooding and mudslides destroyed roads and crippled infrastructure and transportation. When she caught wind of efforts to raise funds and collect emergency supplies in Terre Haute, Ind., Rasner jumped at the chance to participate.
Since Tuesday, Oct. 1, Rasner and her coworkers at Country Financial in Paris have collected resources to send to areas affected by the catastrophic storm.
Country Financial serves as one of many drop-off points for an effort that spans Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina and multiple organizations, including Wabash Valley Jeep Junkies, Central Indy Jeep’rs, Backroads Junkies, Wheat’s Off-Road, S&S Custom and Bethel Bible Church (Riegelwood, NC).
Rasner already had previous connections with the Wabash Valley Jeep Junkies, an organization that often engages in acts of philanthropy, and joining in the effort was a smooth process.
“They’re just good people always helping out the community, so they saw the need and rallied their troops with a couple of other organizations,” Rasner said. “The pieces just kind of fell into place.”
Currently, the coalition of groups is seeking a wide variety of provisions, including…
Rasner received word that there is an emerging need for antihistamines like Benadryl and EpiPens. Flooding has driven yellow jackets and other stinging insects from their nests in the ground, making search and rescue operations even more hazardous.
Rasner also emphasized the importance of clean drinking water for communities affected by Helene. “From my own experience, I don’t think you could send enough water, or too much,” she explained.
So far, Paris’ response to the supply drive has been positive.
“People are really kind of adopting it in a hurry and spreading the word,” Rasner explained.
Ensuring people have the proper supplies to survive for extended periods is crucial. The needs of anyone caught in Helene’s path will likely continue for weeks – a truth Rasner knows after trying to coordinate makeshift shelters for families displaced by Hurricane Katrina with the Lafayette Parks and Recreation Department.
“You can tolerate a couple of days without power, but once it starts getting into weeks, it really starts wearing on people,” she said.
The derecho that tore through much of the Wabash Valley last summer offered a small glimpse of the perils faced in the Carolinas. Rasner hopes that experience motivates locals to chip in when and where they can.
“People were without power and supplies kind of unexpectedly (during the derecho), so it catches you off guard,” she said. “Even if it’s not a lot… somebody is going to receive a bar of soap, and it’s going to change their day.”
Rasner was also quick to encourage caution and research before making a monetary donation to other ‘relief efforts.’
“Before you give money, make sure it’s real, because unfortunately they’ve already had all kinds of scams pop up.”
Supplies can be dropped off at Country Financial’s Parislocation at 802 N. Main Streetuntil Thursday, Oct. 10. A volunteer driver will transport thesupplies to affected areas the following day. For information on how to make a monetary donation, visit www.corywheatcustoms.com, or text “GIVE” to 910-400-1177. For more information, call 217- 465-8320 to speak with Rasner at Country Financial.