Eutawville church collects, delivers aid to NC after Helene

After Hurricane Helene wreaked death and devastation across six states – including places that are almost never affected by a tropical storm – Coleman felt compelled to propose a relief effort.

His congregation – “We refer to ourselves as the small church with big faith and big hearts” – began collecting donations on Wednesday, Oct. 2.

And people responded:

“At the Piggly Wiggly in Holly Hill, the manager, Ms. Laura (Lapiene), went all out,” the bishop said.

“A cleaners in Orangeburg gave us about a hundred hangers with clothing on them” that had been washed but not claimed by the owners, Coleman said.

The student council at the Lake Marion High School and Technology Center gathered donations. “The Home Depot in Summerville gave us tools,” he said.

“And a business in Augusta, Georgia, donated a truckload,” although that city “got hit hard” by the hurricane. “I didn’t realize how hard until I drove there” to pick up the donated items. “Augusta is in bad shape,” Coleman said.

The donated items included baby products, personal hygiene products, clothes for all ages, paper products, tables, boxes of shoes, and much more.

Most of the donations were loaded into a motor coach owned and operated by Coleman’s Christian Bros Organization charter bus company. The rest of the items were loaded onto a trailer behind a pickup truck.

“You see the bus is filled to capacity,” the bishop said. “It’s just amazing! This is the first time we have ever done anything of this magnitude.”

On Tuesday, Oct. 9, the vehicles delivered the donated items to the First Baptist Church of Hendersonville, North Carolina, which is serving as a staging area for the North Carolina Baptists on Missions organization.

They were informed that some of the donations would be airlifted to residents who need them, because traveling by road is still limited due to the damage the floodwaters left behind in the mountainous Western North Carolina.

“We are our brother’s keeper,” the bishop said. “Sooner or later, we are all going to need help. Right now, North Carolina really needs help. We’re just trying to reach out. It’s so gratifying to know you can help somebody.”