Riverton restaurant owner Travis Bonino has been in Florida for the past week and a half, not scoping out new recipes, but on a more important mission following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene throughout the southeast.
“What I witnessed was something I’ll probably never forget,” said Bonino. “I’ve never witnessed such destruction, sadness. The smells were horrible, I mean, sewers were backed up. We were walking through a foot of mud, slush, sewer.”
Back home in Utah, volunteers are hard at work collecting donations at Salsa Leedos, Bonino’s restaurant in Riverton.
“This isn’t channeling through any government,” said Bonino. “This isn’t hurry up and wait. We’re on the ground. We’re going to be passing out these supplies immediately.”
Community members have been contributing everything from clothes to diapers, food, power tools, and propane.
“Just anything that might help them,” said Lindsay Marriott. “When you have nothing, what do you think you would need when your house is completely destroyed?”