Thousands of volunteers have flocked to western North Carolina to help the region cover from Helene. WFAE’s Tommy Tomlinson, in his "On My Mind" commentary, says their actions cut through all our normal differences.
They came on mules. A group out of Rowan County called the Mountain Mule Packers went over muddy trails and through the woods to deliver help to those recovering from the storm Helene.
They came on bikes. A friend told me the other night about folks living in the mountains who organized a bicycle brigade to get supplies to places where cars and trucks couldn’t go.
They came in helicopters. NASCAR teams, organized at Charlotte Motor Speedway, sent choppers into the sky. Driver Greg Biffle posted a video of a man they spotted at the bottom of a canyon only because he held up a mirror to reflect the sun. It took six tries to land, but they got him supplies: food, gas, baby formula and a chainsaw.
They came from big and well-known organizations like José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen and Franklin Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse. They came from solo saints who loaded up their SUVs and minivans and took them to dropoff points. They came from all points on the compass, geographically and politically, to help the suffering residents of western North Carolina.
A brief pause. It would be such a better world if we found ways to come together when it’s not a moment of absolute crisis. And it would be such a better world if we spent more time building up our structures, physical and otherwise, to prepare for the worst. There’s no way to avoid a disaster like Helene. But there are ways to make it not quite so disastrous.
Now then.
Everywhere I’ve turned this past week, I’ve heard from neighbors or friends or church members collecting supplies or raising money for the victims of Helene. It’s easy to help just from your couch; many places, including WFAE, have lists of places to donate on their websites.
But I’m always moved by knowing that in these devastated places, where so many people got out or tried to get out, there are now thousands of volunteers going in.
I’m sure you’ve heard that you can sum up most of the world’s great religions and grand philosophies in three words: Love thy neighbor.
What we tend to get crossways about, to our everlasting detriment, is who counts as our neighbor.
Let the response to Helene be evidence: All these people, from next door and around the world, showing up with love and care for those who need it most.
I don’t suppose many of those people receiving food and water and shelter are being asked where they came from or what they believe.
In these moments, when everything else is stripped away, we know what matters and we remember how to behave.
The North Carolina mountains might feel like a dark place right now. But the helpers, the ones who got there any way they could: They’re walking into the light.
Tommy Tomlinson’s On My Mind column runs Mondays on WFAE and WFAE.org. It represents his opinion, not the opinion of WFAE. You can respond to this column in the comments section below. You can also email Tommy at ttomlinson@wfae.org.
