(Photo provided) New Martinsville School students stand with the many donations they helped collect for delivery to victims of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina.

NEW MARTINSVILLE – Local schools, fire departments, churches and others across the Ohio Valley are teaming up to collect donations of food and supplies for victims of Hurricane Helene that struck several states.

And the American Red Cross Central Appalachia Region is seeking more volunteers to work at shelters for victims of disasters like the most recent Hurricane Helene.

Regarding donations, the New Martinsville School and Sardis Fire Department recently teamed up to collect items for the hurricane victims in North Carolina where people were hit especially hard by the natural disaster.

New Martinsville School Principal Stacey Walton is proud of her students.

“The kids have shown incredible leadership and kindness,” Walton said. “This experience has not only helped the flood victims in North Carolina but also brought our school closer as a community.”

She believes many students are feeling empathy for the hurricane victims.

“I do believe many of our students had experienced flooding but not to the extreme that North Carolina folks have,” she said. “Our kids simply wanted to help. One of my teachers came up with the idea, we announced it and the kids took over-donations poured in.”

Walton said a substantial amount of items were collected; the bed of a pickup truck and an 8-foot trailer were both filled. The Sardis Fire Department on Oct. 2 picked up the supplies to add to a semi truck being packed and bound for North Carolina.

“The outpouring of donations from students and their families is a reflection of the school’s mission to foster a spirit of service and compassion. With boxes packed and ready to be shipped, the students at New Martinsville School feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in what they’ve achieved together. The students collected well over 1,000 items,” Walton said.

“As the trucks head toward North Carolina, the students hope their contributions will provide relief and comfort to the families impacted by the disaster. More importantly, they are proud to have demonstrated that, even from miles away, their school can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.”

Meanwhile, Sharon Kesselring, executive director of the American Red Cross Ohio River Valley Chapter, said there is an urgent need for volunteers to work in the shelters.

“The American Red Cross Central Appalachia Region is issuing an urgent appeal for volunteers who are willing to travel this fall to support emergency shelters for major national disaster relief efforts,” according to information provided by Kesselring. “Currently, nearly 50 local Red Cross workers are deployed to help those impacted by Hurricane Helene. Locally, our teams are on the ground supporting impacted individuals by providing meals, snacks and cleanup kits to hard hit areas of McDowell and Mercer Counties in West Virginia and Scioto County in Ohio.”

People interested in volunteering can sign up at redcross.org/volunteer. Volunteers must undergo training before being deployed. Volunteers also need a driver’s license and the ability to commit to working for a two-week stretch.

“Applicants who don’t have disaster experience, but have supervision, management or organization skills; a strong desire to help others; and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, are encouraged to apply,” the Red Cross notes.

As of Oct. 7, more than 1,200 Red Cross volunteers had responded to help victims of Hurricane Helene across 10 states. There are about 80 emergency shelters being used to house more than 2,700 people at the moment.

“When disasters upend lives, Red Cross volunteers are on the frontlines providing refuge and comfort to people in their darkest hours,” said Erica Mani, CEO for the Central Appalachia Region of the American Red Cross. “They truly are the heart and soul of the Red Cross — comprising 90% of our workforce — to help ensure families never face a crisis alone.”

For those who cannot volunteer, there are other ways to help: money can be donated to www.redcross.org or by texting the word “Helene” to 90999. People can also help by donating their blood at local blood drives.

“Hurricane Helene has caused more than 1,500 blood donations to go uncollected in the Southeast, yet the need for blood remains constant for patients in need,” the Red Cross notes. “Those outside the affected areas are encouraged to schedule a blood donation appointment now by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or using the Blood Donor App to help restock the shelves.”