Roofing in Cross, SC

Story told by: Nick Gibson

Hurricane Helene has made lasting impacts to the Southeast including the Carolinas.

Since Helene made landfall in late September, the American Red Cross has used every available tool to help those affected by the storm. The Red Cross has provided more than 3.3 million meals and snacks served with partners. Given nearly 360,000 relief supplies and helped with over 56,200 overnight shelter stays.

Since September 26th, the Red Cross of South Carolina has seen an influx of more than 900 local volunteers who signed up to help their neighbors in need. One of those volunteers is Kim Skunza. Kim lives in Greenville, and says she decided to join the Red Cross after Hurricane Helene hit to help those affected.

“We were spared in Greenville. Our house and my little area, I felt the need to give back to my community,” said Kim. “Since I’m retired now it’s a great opportunity, it’s kind of a calling.”

Kim deployed to portions of North Carolina that were affected by Helene. Her job was to look for damaged homes that were hit hard by the storm.

For weeks, weary families across the Southeast have been living with the inconceivable damage left behind after Hurricane Helene. As families worked to take the next steps in their recovery, Red Cross responders were with them, providing shelter, meals, relief supplies, and a shoulder to lean to make sure no one faced the disaster alone.

“These people might not know of the resources available by the Red Cross. Everyone that I met, the people are wonderful, they we’re glad that we were there,” said Kim.

Dan Fiato who lives in Little River has only been a volunteer with the Red Cross for a month. He also deployed to help those in need in North Carolina. Dan saw firsthand how the Red Cross helped in communities impacted by disasters when he lived in Bonita Springs, FL.

“It wiped out a ton of homes in there and the Red Cross came in and helped a lot of people by assessing damage and providing food,” said Dan.

Dan has lived in South Carolina for the past four years and says he will do anything to help someone.

“I enjoy helping people. We take pictures of the damage that has been done to the houses and a brief explanation of what we see,” said Dan.

Recovery from Hurricanes Helene and Milton will be a long process, and the Red Cross will be there to support people impacted by these devastating storms in the months ahead. Volunteers are needed to help with disasters big and small. Join us: RedCross.org/Volunteer.

Story told by: Nick Gibson

The mission of the American Red Cross was born on the battlefield through Clara Barton’s care for Civil War soldiers. Today, we continue to serve the U.S. military community from the time a service member takes the oath to navigating life as a veteran.

The Red Cross partners with local veterans' organizations and hospitals to share information and resources on services for veterans year-round. Recently, Red Cross of South Carolina Service to Armed Forces (SAF) teams joined community partners at VA Stand Down events across the state. These annual events help veterans who are unhoused prepare for the winter and access essential services.

“It’s an external partnership that we have with the VA,” said Denise Teasdell, Regional SAF and International Services Director for the Red Cross of South Carolina.

Veterans who attended the Stand Down event at the Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center in Columbia received pillows, blankets, toiletry, snacks, and bags to carry their items in from the Red Cross.

Each year, the Red Cross assists more than 240,000 military and veteran families by leveraging a network of volunteers across the country and around the world. Veterans can call the Hero Care Network for assistance if needed. Through the Hero Care Network, the Red Cross connects service members, veterans, and their families to free and confidential assistance any day, anytime.

As part of the Hero Care Network, the Red Cross works with military aid societies to connect eligible military, retired military, veterans and their families with financial assistance in times of hardship. This assistance can include funds for emergency travel, food, shelter and more. The Red Cross also partners with veteran organizations to assist veteran benefits and financial assistance in communities around the U.S.

Denise adds the Hero Care Network is offered to veterans, and has fellow veterans, military spouses, and civilians that veterans can speak with over the phone for support.

“The Hero Care Network helps veterans find housing or financial assistance,” said Denise. “We also offer resiliency workshops that we allow our veterans to come to if they need some time away from home. Sometimes veterans are dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and they need to do things with their hands or they need to kind of steady their minds. We do have workshops that we offer such as art therapy.”

Military and veteran communities face unique circumstances, and the Red Cross wants to help every step of the way. That’s why we offer a variety of resiliency workshops with effective tools to help the whole family improve communications, navigate challenges and manage stress. These programs are free, confidential and offered in person or online by licensed mental health professionals. The Red Cross offers many kinds of programs including the following: Coping with Deployments, Reconnection workshops, Mind-Body workshops and more.

“A lot of service members and veterans don’t realize what is available to them. As a third party that assists the VA, we always encourage our veterans to go to the VA and see what they qualify for. In the meantime, the Red Cross is here to assist with anything else they need,” said Denise.

Denise is a veteran herself and says events and services like this mean a lot to her. She adds it makes her feel really good to give back and put a smile on faces that once served our country.

“There is a love I have for veterans, but it goes even more when they’re unhoused. Dealing with a veteran who is unhoused who doesn’t have toothbrushes and toothpaste; to be able to help them stuff a bag and make sure they have the toiletries they need, is awesome for me,” said Densie.

One of the veterans who received some items during the stand down event was Scott Mitchell who is an Air Force Veteran. Scott says he was overwhelmed by the support the community had for veterans and the size of this veteran stand down event.

“It’s stuff that we normally don’t get, those treats are really special. I can use an extra blanket at night, this means a lot to me,” said Scott. “I’m probably going to need a pickup truck to take everything that I’ve got.”

All hands were on deck for the Columbia Stand Down, including Annika Pink, a Red Cross volunteer. She says her husband is currently in the military and says it was a pleasure serving the veterans.

“Being able to help them and provide a smile, provide a snack, it’s about getting back to the basic level of being a human being and helping out,” said Annika.

Learn more about Red Cross services to the armed forces and how you can get involved by visiting redcross.org/saf.

Brian Waymire has been vacationing in St. Pete Beach, Florida for the past 15 or 20 years. This fall, he returned to the barrier island community—but he did not bring his bathing suit. Instead, he helped distribute emergency supplies to area residents as part of American Red Cross disaster relief after Hurricane Helene. It was a meaningful, “full circle” experience to give back to the community he’s enjoyed so many times on vacation, said Waymire, a longtime Red Cross volunteer who lives in Pawleys Island, South Carolina.

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In St. Pete Beach, it looked like a snowstorm had hit – but the snow was sand. After Helene, there was sand and debris strewn everywhere, and the buildings along the coast had three or four feet of floodwater inside. Red Cross volunteers delivered truckloads of essential items such as work gloves, flashlights, garbage bags, masks, hand sanitizer and other important clean-up supplies to residents in need.

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Brian Waymire has been vacationing in St. Pete Beach, Florida for the past 15 or 20 years. This fall, he returned to the barrier island community—but he did not bring his bathing suit. Instead, he helped distribute emergency supplies to area residents as part of American Red Cross disaster relief after Hurricane Helene. It was a meaningful, “full circle” experience to give back to the community he’s enjoyed so many times on vacation, said Waymire, a longtime Red Cross volunteer who lives in Pawleys Island, South Carolina.

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In St. Pete Beach, it looked like a snowstorm had hit – but the snow was sand. After Helene, there was sand and debris strewn everywhere, and the buildings along the coast had three or four feet of floodwater inside. Red Cross volunteers delivered truckloads of essential items such as work gloves, flashlights, garbage bags, masks, hand sanitizer and other important clean-up supplies to residents in need.

By Bethany Bray Patterson

Brian Waymire has been vacationing in St. Pete Beach, Florida for the past 15 or 20 years. This fall, he returned to the barrier island community—but he did not bring his bathing suit. Instead, he helped distribute emergency supplies to area residents as part of American Red Cross disaster relief after Hurricane Helene.

It was a meaningful, “full circle” experience to give back to the community he’s enjoyed so many times on vacation, said Waymire, a longtime Red Cross volunteer who lives in Pawleys Island, South Carolina.

“There was a feeling of ‘we’re all in this together’ among the Red Cross volunteers,” Waymire said of his Florida deployment. “When there was a need, we would all just jump in and take care of that need, whether it was loading a truck or driving a route. There was a lot of comradery and friendships formed.”

Helene slammed into the Florida coast as a category 4 hurricane on Sept. 26 and churned Northward, leaving a path of destruction and heartbreak through the Carolinas and other states. Not only have Red Cross disaster workers deployed from across the county to South Carolina to help after the hurricane, numerous South Carolina volunteers have deployed to help in other states.

Ninety percent of the Red Cross workforce is comprised of compassionate volunteers like Brian. Trained disaster workers were in place before the first drops of rain fell and will continue to support people impacted by Helene and Milton in the weeks and months ahead.

Waymire deployed to Tallahassee on Sept. 29. From there, he drove a truck and delivered emergency supplies throughout Florida, first in the Tampa area and then down to Miami, and eventually back up to Fort Lauderdale.

Waymire’s team had to shelter-in-place while Hurricane Milton hit the Sunshine State on Oct. 10. “I have deployed with the Red Cross a lot, and this is the first time I’ve experienced a second hurricane [while deployed],” he said. “I never worried because the Red Cross puts its volunteers first and keeps us safe.”

“Whenever I deploy with the Red Cross, moving around and being relocated is normal. Flexibility is key. I never unpack my suitcase,” he adds with a chuckle.

In St. Pete Beach, it looked like a snowstorm had hit – but the snow was sand, he said. After Helene, there was sand and debris strewn everywhere, and the buildings along the coast had three or four feet of floodwater inside.

Waymire delivered truckloads of essential items such as work gloves, flashlights, garbage bags, masks, hand sanitizer and other important clean-up supplies. It was clear that these supplies were much needed, said Waymire, because residents would gather at distribution sites and wait in line to receive items.

“There was a lot of damage to homes,” he said. “Often, as we would be unloading the truck, people would be waiting to receive items, especially the tarps, rakes and shovels.”

The Red Cross is working around the clock to ensure that people impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton get the help they need to get on the road to recovery, but we can't do this alone. People affected by these disasters need urgent help now. You can help by making a financial donation, an appointment to give blood or joining us as a volunteer. To help, visit RedCross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

A company that has outdoor apparel stores nationwide has opened a new spot in a trendy Columbia shopping center.

Orvis recently debuted a new shop at 702 Cross Hill Road in the Cross Hill Market shopping center just off Devine Street. While the store already is open for business, it will have a grand opening celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 25-27. There will be giveaways, sales and refreshments during each of those days, and a portion of the proceeds from the celebration will go to Congaree Riverkeeper, according to social media posts from Riverkeeper and Orvis.

Congaree Riverkeeper is a nonprofit that advocates for the protection of rivers and streams in the Midlands area.

Initially founded in 1856 and headquartered in Vermont, Orvis is a leading name in outdoor clothing, fly fishing gear, products for dogs and more. It has locations nationwide, including additional South Carolina stores on King Street in Charleston and on Main Street in Greenville.

“Columbia has been a focus for us for several years as an opportunity to further expand our footprint in South Carolina, and Cross Hill was our preference for several reasons: it’s active, energetic and close to our core customers,” Orvis director of real estate Jason Williams said in a previous story in The State.

Cross Hill Market has been an enduringly fashionable shopping hub near Devine Street and Garners Ferry Road, southeast of downtown Columbia. The plaza is home to a Whole Foods grocery store, Midwood Smokehouse barbecue restaurant, Basil Thai Cuisine, Athleta clothing shop and more.

The shopping center is at the nexus of a handful of high-traffic roads. About 29,000 cars per day travel down Devine Street nearby, per state Department of Transportation statistics, while about 46,000 cars per day travel down Garners Ferry Road and 16,100 per day traverse Cross Hill Road.

This story was originally published October 21, 2024, 11:30 AM.

10-21-2024

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The slow process of recovery continues for residents in the states of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee just 25 days after Hurricane Helene made landfall.

The death toll from the Category 4 storm has reached at least 227, according to the latest report from the Associated Press.

In North Carolina, more than 50 people are still missing after flooding from the hurricane that has become the deadliest mainland hurricane since Katrina in 2005.

While most of the attention has focused on the extremely hard hit areas of North Carolina, thousands are still without power in South Carolina and Georgia too. Hundreds of roads are closed and dozens of bridges need to be replaced making aid delivery incredibly difficult in certain areas.

A new FEMA report shows that more than $154 million will help nearly 211,047 South Carolina households recover from Helene, including $11 million in housing grants to help pay for home repair, home replacement, and rental assistance for temporary housing.

The agency has also pledged nearly $2 billion in assistance to help people hit hard by both Helene and Milton throughout the Southeast.

Meanwhile, International teams from CBN's Operation Blessing are still scouring out-of-the-way places to help people in need.

As they drove down one road in North Carolina, Deena Fortune flagged them down and asked if they were delivering supplies.

Deena was in need of disaster relief supplies due to her living in such an isolated area in North Carolina. We provided her with a food box, hygiene kit, solar lamp, and a BeFree Katadyn water filter! We also shared precious moments in prayer. pic.twitter.com/zs6bEgjfFi

— Operation Blessing (@operationbless) October 21, 2024

Deena, a widow, lives alone in the mountains, 13 miles from the nearest town.

She was happy to learn the team had many items she needed. They followed her home bringing a food box, hygiene kit, solar lamp, and a water filter.

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"It means a lot to me that you are a blessing," she shared. "You brought me some food...and water that I don't have to carry. That helps me out tremendously."

Deena added, "You [have] been a blessing to me."

The widow said she'd been feeling down, but she said the Operation Blessing team was sent by God and it made her day.

If you would like to support Operation Blessing as it helps those hit hard by hurricane victims, you can call CBN at 1-800-700-7000 or click HERE to visit Operation Blessing's website.

Canadian Linemen Restore Power in South Carolina

Meanwhile, power has been restored to a well-known landmark near Greenville, South Carolina.

Pretty Place Chapel attracts visitors every year because of its serene location and its majestic view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

But Hurricane Helene nearly destroyed the site.

As CBN News reported, video of the chapel after the storm showed trees toppled along the property, and large sections of the roof and support beams destroyed. Miraculously, the cross on the property was intact.

Ground officials anticipated it will take a lot of time for the chapel to be rebuilt and open to the public.

"We will be working for the next long while, unforeseen future, to restore Pretty Place to its natural beauty," shared Nicholas Patton, director of operations at Pretty Place Chapel.

However, volunteer linemen from Sumter Utilities Inc. and Gagnon Lines in Canada showed up days later to restore power and help staff reopen.

"A guy named Cory from Sumter Utilities came to scout out the land and see how bad the damage was," Cory Harrison, YMCA Camp Greenville's Vice President of Overnight Camping told Southern Living. "We rode around the property together looking at all the downed lines and tree issues. He said, 'I really want to help you guys out here, but this is really bad so I'm going to try to push to help you get power back ASAP.'"

Two days later he showed up with a team of linemen ready to work.

"I have 40 trucks about to roll in here and knock this out," Harrison was told.

The crew, which are retired linemen who sign up to help in emergency power restoration efforts after big storms, had the power back on by the end of the day.

They had one simple request – to take a picture surrounding the cross and enjoying the park's beauty.

"I think they felt the awe and beauty of Pretty Place and what it represents. Knowing that so many people come here every year, it was such a unique opportunity for them to be here," said Harrison. "Seeing all these big linemen jump into a photo together, arms around each other…It was a really cool moment."

Harrison said the lineman restored more than power that day.

"When they restored the power, it restored a whole lot of hope to us here," he shared.