Kansasville family organizing second relief mission for hurricane victims

UNION GROVE – Demonstrating a touching example of one community helping another, a kind-hearted Kansasville resident became concerned about thousands of others struggling from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Crysta Hernandez rounded up her family, three friends and nearly 2,000 pounds of donated supplies and drove to Weaverville, N.C. last weekend.

Hundreds of communities remain picking up the pieces from the devastating storm that made landfall on Sept. 26 in Florida and tore a path all the way to the southern Appalachians.

All this as powerful Category 4 Hurricane Milton slammed Florida’s central west coast on Wednesday.

“It definitely changed my life,” said Hernandez, a manager at Bob’s Mobil in Union Grove. “It makes you think of your own community.”

The Hernandez family lives in Kansasville and owns a cabin in Huntsville, Tenn.

They connected with Pastor Steve Rhinehart of Mount Sheba Baptist in nearby Weaverville, N.C. and hand-delivered a shipment of food, supplies, blankets, toiletries and other items.

Hernandez said many residents affected by the hurricane remain without power and are unable to travel on roads that have become rivers.

“These are smaller communities where people rely on their neighbors for help, just like we do here in Union Grove and Kansasville,” Hernandez. “This is what we do. It gives me a fuller heart knowing I can help somebody that needs it the most.”

When local residents learned of Hernandez’ relief efforts, it wasn’t a surprise they volunteered to help.

A second relief trip is already in the works.

Union Grove-based Community State Bank donated $1,000 to cover fuel costs for the return trip and is hosting a drop-off site for donations.

“Neighbors helping neighbors, communities helping communities,” Community State Bank Senior Vice President/Market President David Moyer said. “That’s what it’s all about. Yet another reason why I choose to live in this great community.”

Hernandez said she’s focused on collecting warm-weather items. The return trip is tentatively planned for later this month.

“It’s getting cold there now so we’re looking to collect things like coats, hats, gloves, sleeping bags, pots and pans,” Hernandez said. “Any type of camping gear.”

Donations can be dropped off weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Community State Bank, 1500 Main Street, in Union Grove.