Iowa Helps Hurricane Helene Victims

On October 20^th, Nancy Kieffer first posted in a newly formed Facebook page, Iowa Helps Hurricane Helene Victims, “Our mission is to supply aid to those affected by the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene in the area near Asheville in North Carolina. In partnership with an organization called Hurricane Helene Veterans Recovery our goal is to provide assistance to those in desperate need.  Nancy’s connection with the latter group is her sister Mary Jo who is a veteran and dedicated volunteer who is actively working to help those who have lost so much.

Facts about Hurricane Helene: Helene was the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the Big Bend region on record, making landfall near Perry, Florida, the night of Sept. 26 as a Category 4 storm with 140 mph winds. Helene left a widespread path of destruction across the Southeast — from Florida’s Big Bend to Asheville, North Carolina, nearly 400 miles from where the storm made landfall.

At least 230 people have been killed by Helene, making it the deadliest mainland hurricane since Katrina in 2005. At least 72 people are dead in hard-hit Buncombe County, North Carolina, which encompasses Asheville, county authorities said Thursday.

After the storm, hundreds were reported missing in the county amid widespread power and cellphone outages. The Asheville Police Department said at that time that out of approximately 350 missing persons reported, 270 individuals have been located and reunited with their families, and they are actively working on 75 missing persons cases amid ongoing search and rescue operations.

Helene, and a separate system earlier in the week, dumped more than 30 inches of rain on North Carolina and produced the biggest local flooding in recorded history. The flooding in western North Carolina surpassed records that stood for more than a century. The French Broad River in Asheville peaked at 24.67 feet, breaking the previous record of 23.1 feet from July 1916.

Nancy Kieffer has posted the following and much more over recent weeks and months- “My latest passion project is a group we created called Iowa Helps Hurricane Helene Victims. Our mission is to support Veterans, individuals and families affected by the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene in the small towns surrounding the Asheville area in North Carolina. Many areas are so severely devasted it is unknown at this time if they will even be able to rebuild – ever there. In some place’s houses, buildings, trees and everything else is buried in 30’-40’ of sediment. Most people not aware of the devastation that was caused by Hurricane Helene. These are the facts:  Over 822,000 acres were affected, over 126,000 homes effected, over 6000 miles of roads were damaged, over 1000 bridges and culverts, over 1891 mudslides totally over $56 Billion in damage! Countless Americans effected and the total number of lives will never be determined. If a body cannot be identified it cannot be counted as a casualty. There are still 1000’s reported as missing!

In partnership with our local Knights of Columbus and a group called Broken Angels Emergency Response which is located in South Carolina we aim to provide timely assistance to those in desperate need. My connection to these organizations is my sister, Mary Jo, a dedicated volunteer who is actively working to help those who have lost so much. Mary Jo has shared stories about the devastation in these small towns are truly heartbreaking. Mary Jo is a Desert Storm Air Force Veteran who moved from Iowa to South Carolina in 2013. She along with others venture out to go help others wherever help is needed. They have had very frustrated children yell at them, because they have no idea why their little world has been taken away.  They have met several with the most lost look in their eyes, because they don’t have anything, but the clothes they have been living in for weeks. They have been in areas where cadaver dogs are searching and have smelled a smell in the air that clung to their clothes and that will never be forgotten. They met one gentleman in his early 20s, that watched his mom, Dad, sister and grandparents float down the river. They have met the strongest and most enduring personalities that could live on this earth.  The amazing thing is, they have not met one person that is mad or has left their faith wavering.  They praise God for the simplest things, paper plates, ham sandwich, a solar lantern, sleeping bag, warm coat, a heater, everything we take for granted that we have every day, including our homes.

Our group has purchased and sent the following to North Carolina: 2 campers, 3 trucks and a van packed full of donated supplies! And we just sent a semi loaded with pallet racking and a fork truck which was greatly needed for Broken Angels warehouse! “

A message from Mary Jo: I appreciate your time and your consideration of donating to North Carolina Hurricane Helene Victims.   I am a Desert Storm Air Force Veteran.  I moved from Iowa to South Carolina in 2013, pursuing my machinist career.  I have always been one to run into a situation, instead of away from it.  I stand up, defend and help those in need.  If God tells me to go, I go.

Well, Hurricane Helene struck WNC and God told me to go to Burnsville, Morganton, a small community above Burnsville (this one I really talked to Him about), Columbus, Tryon and Mills River.   There are 4 of us that usually venture where He tells us to go for the weekend.  Sometimes only 2, I have a very patient and gullible boyfriend.

We have worked in distribution centers that the feeling of overwhelming hits, but we just roll up our sleeves and make organization out of chaos.  We have helped old and young.  We have pulled nails, rebuilt walls and generator protectors, we have smelled a smell in the air that clung to our clothes and never will be forgotten.  There are 1000s still missing.  We have been in areas where cadaver dogs are searching.  We have had very frustrated children yell at us, because they have no idea why their little world has been taken away.  We have met several with the most lost look in their eyes, because they don’t have anything, but the clothes they have been living in for three weeks.  We met one gentleman in his 80s, that thanked God for his arthritis pain.  He was laying at the foot of his bed that morning, because it was more comfortable.  A 4’ diameter tree smashed through his roof, landing where he usually lays.  Met one gentleman in his early 20s, that watched his mom, Dad, sister and grandparents float down the river.  We have met the strongest and most enduring personalities that could live on this earth.  The amazing thing is, we have not met one person that is mad or has left their faith wavering.  They praise God for the simplest things, paper plates, ham sandwich, a solar lantern, sleeping bag, warm coat, a heater, everything we take for granted that we have every day, including our homes.

Our Americans should not be living on the cold ground in a tent at 18 degrees and then it started raining this week.  An 18-month-old baby froze to death and many others the last couple of months due to extremely cold conditions.   If you can, in anyway, please support Hurricane Helene Victims. They truly are not asking for more than the ability to live like an American should live, at least warm and safe.

At this time, the most effective form of assistance we can provide is through monetary donations. These contributions will allow us to quickly provide essential items without the logistical challenges associated with physical donations. We have established drop-off locations for monetary donation sites at Bellevue State Bank, Bellevue Car Wash, and businesses around town, Oly’s Garage in Preston, all Maquoketa State Bank locations, and many local bars.

Check out our Facebook page at Iowa Helps Hurricane Helene Victims for more information and updates!   Thank you very much for considering this opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those in need!