SCOTT COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — An update to a story we brought to you last week, a local equine group put their resources together to help those impacted by Helene.
The group made the trip to North Carolina this past weekend, dropping off donations and offering help where needed.
"Just seeing all the power lines down through out the mountains, to not have power out there, I can only imagine what that is like," said Meghan Capra with Brightonwoods Farm in Stamping Ground.
Capra was just one of several volunteers who made the trip West Jefferson, North Carolina.
"Driving through the mountains, a couple times the road would go down to one lane and you would look over and see the roadside gone," said Capra.
The week leading up to the trip, local businesses like Boss Mares Tack, Hymer Feed, Leonard Horse Transport, Central KY Tack, Hallway Feeds, Browns Hay & Straw, Bluegrass Stockyards, and Cowtown provided necessities for not only the people affected by Helene's impact, but their livestock, horses, and pets.
"Especially with winter coming, that was a really big concern. A lot of people talked about was the need for hay, especially with winter coming because all their hay was destroyed and their grass, it will stop growing here soon," she said.
The group drove down several trailers full of supplies, encountering a few obstacles and unexpected stops along the way.
"Driving through the mountains, a couple times the road would go down to one lane and you would look over and see the roadside gone. We actually had one family wave us down, to pull over on the next exit," Capra said. "I think we all thought there was something wrong with one of the trailers and they got out and they handed us an envelope. We didn't open it until we got back in the truck, but when we opened it, we found 500 dollars."
Capra tells LEX 18 they delivered donations to bigger drop off locations and got to speak with local residents.
"Everyone we have talked to, they have said they are going into the rebuild mode," Capra said. "Things like fencing, more hay for the live stock, and just rebuilding supplies for houses is what's needed, along with just the man power and the help."
Capra says they plan on making another trip in the near future.
"All the people they were just so thankful. We got so many hugs, so many people were in tears, you could just tell how thankful they were and how grateful they were for the support they were getting."
Capra says before making a trip to these devastated areas, map out a route and make a few calls to find the best drop off points.
She also recommends communicating with state or county police as well as the department of transportation, so you don't get lost or stuck somewhere.
