EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) – As the remnants of Hurricane Helene are felt in the Tri-State, two local volunteers from the Southwest Indiana American Red Cross chapter are assisting residents in the Macon, Georgia area who have been impacted or displaced by the storm. The two answering the call are John Fitzgerald and Jim Pemberton.
The men spent Friday morning loading up the emergency response vehicle with supplies needed to serve residents in the southeast. The volunteers are expected to provide meals to residents as cleanup and recovery efforts continue. As of September 27, the American Red Cross had a dozen volunteers from Indiana deployed in areas hit by Helene.
Fitzgerald and Pemberton have volunteered with the Red Cross for 40 years and 20 years respectively. They say the early images of the destruction are preparing them for what they may see.
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“To walk down the streets and see homes with the windows and doors open and no furniture nothing in them, they’re just done, it’s just really sad to see,” explains Fitzgerald. Pemberton says seeing the impact made on residents makes the journey worthwhile. “I think it’s mostly just the people that you meet and how much they appreciate you being there,” says Pemberton. “And they know you’ve left a comfortable house of your own accord and driven halfway across the country to help them out, and they really appreciate that.”