Rowan County Residents take a leap of faith for Hurricane relief

Rowan County Weather started over 4 years ago and one thing that always makes me proud is to see residents of this county come together for their fellow Americans after a Natural Disaster has impacted an area. In the past 2 months Hurricanes have been a major discussion not only on this site but also throughout the southeast and into the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Hurricane Harvey had a huge impact in Texas with devastating flooding. Some local residents were deeply moved by the devastation they were seeing and decided to step in and bring much needed supplies to those areas impacted. Mandi Boehm was one of those residents and shared with me her first hand accounts on this effort. 

As Mandi shared with me on what she and other Rowan County Residents experienced in this effort one thing I noticed was the impact it had on her. "Labor Day weekend we set out with four trailers full of supplies for Hurricane Harvey relief. I had no idea I set out to have my mind blown by what relief really includes. And How organized you truly have to get things. I had no idea my heart would break for strangers the instant my eyes met theirs. I had no idea how much kindness I would see in a sometimes very cruel world. "

In preparation for the event Boehm said "When friends of mine Reese and Heavan Helms along with Nena Stillwell made the decision to take the trip to Texas and were gracious enough to give Karl and I the chance to tag along- we knew God would work out the logistics. We just needed to take the step for him to do so. And so we did. (So did he)"

"By giving it to God we were blessed with so many donations for folks who had lost everything. We were blessed with prayers for our personal safety. We were blessed with lower gas prices than here and not a single gas shortage. We were blessed from the minute the idea became a reality and I will personally never forget a single one of those blessings in multiple forms. "

"The entire 22 hour straight shot to Texas in heavy trailers we were met by person after person supporting our journey. Texas itself was one of the most welcoming and friendly states as a whole I have ever visited. I will never forget the first shelter we made it to. Leadership from inside came out to meet us. They were shocked how far we had come. How many miles we WANTED to travel to be there for them. And while our only need was a potty they insisted we eat a warm meal ourselves. They were so genuine in their concern for us- when we were solely concerned about them. "

Boehm goes on to describe areas of devastation seen along their journey. "We saw some of the most devastating situations I will probably ever see in my lifetime. Deceased cattle and other animals on the side of the road. Homes completely destroyed. Water still at door level on many houses. We saw abandoned vehicles still surrounded by water. We saw businesses and churches ruined. We saw inaccessible roads. We saw far more than I could have fathomed."

Then Boehm said there was a light in the darkness. "And then we saw love. We saw genuine love from one human being to another. We saw volunteers who had worked non stop and still had no intention of rest. We saw strangers rocking newborn babies in a shelter. We saw an abundance of giving and sharing. We saw kindness.
Never once in any of those life changing moments did race, class, political affiliation or any other taboo topic matter. Just human beings seeing other human beings at their absolute worse and doing as much as possible to lift them up and to give them hope. I remember being in the bathroom at a shelter. I opened the door and went to wash my hands. There was this young lady standing there. Picking a towel for her shower. It hit me in that moment. How big this was. How important it was for Salisbury to help. As I opened my mouth to speak words of encouragement; the words "I'm praying for you" came from my mouth. She looked at me like I was some sort of celebrity. Her face lit up. She looked me right in the eye and with a smile from one side of her face to the other- she said "you're praying for me?" I said yes. Absolutely. And so is my hometown of Salisbury NC. She couldn't believe I shared this prayer. She couldn't believe I was bringing her to my God in the form of prayer. And my God to her in the form of hope. It was moments such as this that I realized the four trailers were insanely amazing. But with every supply; we packed hope. And that's what they needed. They needed to know there was relief coming and not just on those trailers. The sun was out, the water was going away and their lives would somehow get better even if In those very moments they couldn't see how."

Boehm came away from the trip with these words. "While our trip was the most rewarding, inspiring, heartbreaking, and otherwise life changing journey I have ever taken- please don't take my account as your only option. We have suffered so much in this country over the last month. We have seen the most catastrophic storms both by weather and by tragedy. Whether it be donating blood, traveling to one of these places affected by the storms, donating supplies, sending random cards of inspiration to the hospitals treating the Las Vegas victims. Whatever it is DO SOMETHING. Don't be afraid to set out to make a difference. Use your will and your villages support to bring your plan to light. We are all just one STEP away from making a difference and changing the world we live in. Roll up your sleeves, grab a friends hand, and get dirty. Some of the most amazing memories you can make for yourself are those that include being the light for someone else.
As our buddy and devoted co pilot of the trip Boyce Lomax says "It doesn't take a few people doing a lot, it takes a lot of people doing a little to make a difference" we are all capable of doing SOMETHING.
To every business, organization, friend, family member, co worker etc that contributed to our trip- we can never thank you enough. You collectively helped make this a reality. We were just the vessel that brought your contributions. You all were the relief. You made a difference and I hope you all remember what a selfless thing you did by supporting the journey to Texas. May God bless you all and continue to plant seeds of hope in your heart to share with others."

Here at Rowan County Weather I get to see many sides of storms and how they impact, people, places and even animals. I try my best to forecast what lies ahead so that everyone knows how to prepare. Mandi's story from the journey she and others took to deliver the best of what Rowan County had to offer was nothing less than a godly moment taking place for Texas residents who at that time may have been questioning their faith and why they were living through a nightmare. Some of those residents maybe even for a second time in their lives. It was an honor to be able to deliver this type of story right here on my website as it is a different view of what i normally have to provide. As always thank you for following Rowan County Weather!