Volume 2, Issue 27 NOVEMBER 29, 2024
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INSIDE THIS WEEK’S MIRROR: Whitehall Council to help Playhouse
Oceana group provides hurricane relief in North Carolina By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent
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During this holiday season, people and families everywhere have just finished Thanksgiving and are starting to prepare for Christmas. For many, the next few weeks will be filled with special programs, family and work parties and shopping for gifts. Yet, for thousands of Americans down south, this holiday season they are just grateful to be alive and are focused on rebuilding their lives. Hurricane Helene tore through the southeastern United States in late September, followed by Hurricane Milton barely two weeks later in Central Florida. Both of historical proportion, these storms left widespread devastation behind. Since then fellow
A group of good Samaritans from Oceana County recently traveled to North Carolina to help with the hurricane cleanup efforts there. The devastation was evident all across the region as seen above and below.
• Contributed Photos
Americans from across the U.S. have been doing what they are known for, helping — from donating money and supplies to actually going to the most devastated areas, lending a helping hand and supporting those in the wake of such unimaginable disasters. Among those from Oceana County were Shelby natives Jennifer Domin, along with her sons, Colton, a 2024 Shelby High School grad, and Aiden Siedenstrang, a junior at SHS; Jennifer’s husband, Scott Domin; family friend Steven Winterhalter, a senior at SHS; Paul Siedenstrang, Colton and Aiden’s dad; and Cindy Brumm, Jennifer’s mom. The group organized itself shortly after Hurricane Helene and was gone from Wednesday, Oct. 16 to Monday, Oct. 21.
“It was my idea to go down,” said Domin. “I really wanted to go and help. But Colton was the one who took the idea and ran with it.”
While Colton set up a donation page and did a lot of the running around gathering supplies prior to their trip, Jennifer did the coordinating of where they would go and on what days. “I was able to find out what and where the needs were just by going on Facebook.” The group took two trucks and two trailers loaded with supplies. Domin and her husband Scott were married in Newport, Tenn. last year. Prior to leaving, Jennifer had called her contacts there to see if they were okay, hoping to make a quick stop on their way. “There was a lot of water damage, but not road destruction,” she reported. They were able to drop supplies off at a church, as well as bring some clothes to someone else who had requested them. From Newport, the family traveled to Forest City, N.C., where they volunteered for the next two days at a distribution cen-
ter. The family helped by taking in donations and handing them out as people would drive through. They were able to sleep in a local church that provided dinner for them both nights. Originally they had planned to go to Lake Lure, N.C., however, upon arriving, they discovered that road access was too difficult. Not knowing really what to expect, Colton shared these observations: “One of the first things I saw when I got there was a little pink baby slipper on the ground covered in mud. It was really weird. Cars were flipped over and completely filled with mud. There were huge holes with whole houses in them. I’m not sure how wide the river was to begin with, but when we were there it was about 100 feet across. They say the river actually changed course as a result of the hurricane.” Colton added, “People were very happy in a weird kind of way. You could tell they were sad.” After two days at the distribution center, the team had connected with the Jackson family, who owned a horse ranch and had lost nearly everything in the storm. Fortunately, the Jacksons were able to move their 19 horses to higher ground prior to
the storm. However, their homestead did not fare as well. By the time Helene was over, the Jacksons had between 9-15 feet of water in their house; outbuildings had been completely removed from their foundations and their belongings were scattered everywhere. Work crews kept busy picking up the property and gutting the house. “Everything they owned was lost,” Domin said. “My mom (Cindy) and I cleaned tack while the guys and kids poured new footers for the buildings and got the electric going again.” “Everyone was super nice, and when we left, tears were shed. We’re friends on Facebook now, and we plan to go back this summer,” Colton said. After a long 16-hour drive, the Domins and Siedenstrangs arrived home tired, with lots of emotions and experiences to process. The storms have left their mark on thousands; cleanup and recovery will take years. But both families are extremely grateful to everyone who supported them so they could help others in need. “It was amazing, being able to help someone,” Domin said.
Hart lights up the city for the holidays
• Paul Erickson/Echo