Recap: DAY TWO, Part 2 - Delivering Supplies

THURSDAY 10/17/2024 - Part 2

🚦 OUR TRAVEL ROUTE ON THURSDAY:

Hotel in Statesville →Unload at Warehouse in Lawndale →Water Delivery in Black Mountain →Generator/Supply Deliveries to Homes in Swannanoa →Supply Delivery to Home in Green Mountain →Dinner/Debriefing in Morganton →Hotel in Statesville

We left the "drop spot" in Lawndale, NC around noon, and headed northwest "toward the mountain". Our convoy changed a bit with Bob & Jamie and the semi leaving and the Mountain Rescue NC Team joining in. Jennifer and some of the team led the convoy, while Kameron and the rest of their team brought up the rear. The three A&H trucks (two of which were pulling enclosed trailers) filled the space between. Our first stop was the Love's Travel Stop at NC 226 & I-40. It would be the last place we'd be able to get gas and eat before getting into the more heavily damaged areas we were heading to. 

We started seeing the first signs of damage shortly before we arrived at the Ingles Market in Black Mountain, NC. There we found a parking lot full of National Guard and volunteers. The lot had basically been turned into a distribution center for those in need. Ingles is similar to a Meijer in our area. The store seemed quite well stocked but there were also sections where the shelves were completely bare. 

The garden center of the store had been taken over as an area for donated supplies and volunteers to work on organizing and distributing everything that was coming in. The parking lot was blocked off and a drive-thru/pick-up area had been created for those needing supplies. We met a very nice young soldier, who was one of the active duty servicemen volunteering, who told us he'd been in WNC for 11 days and had finally teamed up with the National Guard when his sleeping arrangements (just outside on the ground) became unsafe due to the falling temperatures and number of black bears in the area. The National Guard was being housed in an indoor sports center. 

While unloading water, the Mountain Rescue NC Team realized that we'd forgotten to pack the extension cords that we needed to deliver with the generators! Delivering generators was our main mission of the day and we'd be pushed back at least an hour and a half, if not more, if we had to go all the way back to Lawndale to grab them. Kristy ran into Ingles, hoping (although not expecting) to find extension cords. There was only one extension cord left and it was only 25'. Keegan called a nearby TSC, they only had a few cords left in stock. They were 100' and TSC was charging $199 for each of them! We were initially outraged at that, as it definitely sounded like price gouging, but Alex dug into it and found they were likely very high grade cords and that was probably the usual price. As we were discussing what to do - out of nowhere, like an angel on earth - a real life GI Joe appeared with a 5 gallon bucket AND a large bag FULL of extension cords! We're not sure where he found them - we think he went through every National Guard vehicle onsite and took every last one of them. This was just one moment during our trip that worked out that way. There were angels around every corner. 

Keegan was also able to make a special delivery while we were at Ingles! Craig, from F&S Landscape Service (out of Tecumseh) had dropped off some donations and also asked Keegan if he would be able to deliver a special care package to his family members who live in the Asheville area. Keegan coordinated with Craig's family member and it worked out perfectly! 

Next, we were Swannanoa-bound to deliver generators, EXTENSION CORDS!, full gas cans, and other supplies to families in need. 

STAY TUNED FOR DAY TWO, PART 3!