Beatrice residents chipping in to help Helene victims

BEATRICE, NEB. - Doing their part, from over 1200 miles away.

Residents in Beatrice are chipping in to help Hurricane Helene victims in North Carolina.

“These people have been devastated and they aren’t getting the goods that they need fast enough, so out goal is to fill the truck and we posted it about 10 o’clock Friday night at 10:00 pm and by 9:00 am the next morning people were piling in and piling in.”

Nate Leach and Jessica Dugan are leading the efforts as themselves and volunteers fill a large semi located at the Indian Creek Mall off of Highway 77. They’re asking the community for non-perishable food items and canned goods, blankets, water, electrical cords and warm clothing.

With the truck nearly full already and a second semi expected to be filled, Leach and Dugan say they been mored by the unwavering community support.

“It’s amazing,” Dugan said. “It’s about a community coming together to help people who don’t have the help right now.”

“It’s heart-wrenching,” Leach said. “You have people who don’t have much, but they’re donating what they can… There was a young girl who got $20 for her birthday and went to Dollar General to buy supplies for us. The amount of support has been encouraging.”

The truck leaves for North Carolina next Monday and donations re being accepted until next Sunday night, October 13.