Community unites in response to Hurricane Helene

Local governments, churches, nonprofits, small businesses and large companies, and individual volunteers, young and old alike, all came together to bring relief to the community during the week following Hurricane Helene’s rampage.

County Emergency Management Agency Director Johnny West reported to the County Commission Monday night, Oct. 7, 2024, that as of 10 a.m. that date, 300 homes were still without power locally. The Chaserville area was one of the last places scheduled to have power restored.

The need for help in the wake of Helene was great. Up to that point, the County’s relief program had distributed 26 pallets of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), for a total of 12,480 meals; 38 pallets of water; and 15 pallets of tarps, or 755 tarps, to cover damage to homes. All those items were provided through GEMA. Those numbers don’t take into account supplies distributed in many other relief efforts underway in Cook County, which faced the most widespread property damage from a natural disaster in local history.

Some highlights of the local response:

American Red Cross shelter closes

The American Red Cross shelter at Cook High School was closed due to lack of use. The shelter initially opened when the hurricane came through as a life-threatening event. The shelter then housed 85 people. However, West said no one went to the shelter after it opened for the second time due to the poor conditions previously caused by the shelter management. Several went to a shelter in Valdosta instead.

FEMA individual assistance

Cook County and other Georgia counties have been approved for individual assistance under FEMA as the result of a disaster declaration by President Joe Biden. Local officials thanked Gov. Brian Kemp, U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, and U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff for their assistance in this matter.

Impact of Helene

During a Facebook Live update on hurricane response last week at the Cook Emergency Operations Center, Congressman Austin Scott said Helene has affected about 10 percent of the population of the U.S. State Rep. Chas Cannon said the impact east of I-75 in Georgia was “Hurricane Michael #2,” hitting all farm commodities during harvest season.

Donate to hurricane relief  through United Way

You can now donate to hurricane relief for Cook County through the United Way of South Central Georgia. Your donation will assist with immediate needs including toiletries, food, water, gas, community needs, baby items, and more.

Visit unitedwayscga.org/contact to make an online donation of any amount.

Cook County Community Response Committee, along with United Way, were able to assist persons in need with 95 vouchers totaling $4,750 and 23 gas vouchers totaling $575 at Quick Consulting.

Distribution site at Adel Police Dept. 

With a generous donation from SYFAN Logistics Gainesville, the City of Gainesville GA, Hall County, and surrounding northeast Georgia communities, the Adel Police Department and the City of Adel hosted a distribution site at the APD building. The event was drive-thru, and the Cook High School baseball and softball teams were on site to load the supplies. (Young people have been instrumental in the volunteer response. Cook County 4-H members also helped City personnel clean up Storybook Park in Adel.)

The Adel Police Department, Adel Ice Company, and Mayor Buddy Duke helped by working late at night to unload the semi-truck of all the supplies that were donated for local citizens.

A line of vehicles for the donated items stretched all the way from East Mitchell Street, along North Parrish Avenue, to the APD distribution site. “We have a wonderful City!” one lady waiting in the line of vehicles remarked to the Adel News. Unfortunately, the donated items were soon all handed out.  

Relief supply distribution sites and meal locations

Relief supply distribution sites were at Adel Fire Department; Chaserville, Southeast Cook, and Register Road Fire Stations (worked by the County firefighters, Sheriff’s Office, and other volunteers); Adel First Assembly; the City of Sparks; and the City of Cecil. Cook County EMA praised the support of the Peanut Butter & Jesus group for their efforts. Meal locations were at Lenox City Hall; Antioch Church; the Boys and Girls Club (over 1,000 people fed, along with supplies being sent home with them – the CHS volleyball team, the CHS wrestling team, and friends from Cook Primary School helped out as volunteers for the event); Chaserville Firehouse; the Old Middle School; and the corner of Central and Highway 41 in Lenox. A community cookout, organized by local community members, was held at the Lenox Ball Field on Sunday afternoon. 

We didn’t mean to slight any group that was left out of the lists, but we were trying to show the range of caring for others in our community.

Support for linemen

A crowd turned out Sunday evening, Oct. 6, by the Cook County Board of Education office, off of Highway 37 in Adel. They had glow sticks and signs to show appreciation for the hundreds of linemen who have worked so hard to rebuild and restore power in Cook County and other communities. 

Utility companies have set up a mini-city on the grounds of the Adel-Cook Sports Complex to house workers in campers and RVs. A huge white tent has been set up where the workers congregate when off the job. Many of their utility vehicles are parked on the grounds of Cook High School.

Adel is a central location for staging the response to utility restoration work in South Georgia and North Florida. Johnny West said some of the utility workers are from Virginia and Tennessee. They are sacrificing by helping out here while their own home areas have been hit hard by the hurricane.

A similar staging area for utility workers has been set up at South Georgia Motorsports Park near Cecil.

CES, CCA provide free meals

Cook Elementary School provided two lunches and two breakfasts for students on Tuesday, Oct. 8. CES will also provide two lunches and two breakfasts for students on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students must be present to receive meals. 

Community Christian Academy will be giving out free meals on Wednesday, Oct. 9, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front of the school. You may call the front office for any questions or concerns: (229) 223-3000. 

CCA students and staff returned to school on Monday, Oct. 7. Fall break will remain the same, Oct. 11-14.

Hurricane Milton set to slam Florida

Hurricane Milton, a potentially catastrophic Category 5 storm, is roaring through the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to make landfall in west-central Florida (the Tampa Bay area) on Wednesday evening. On Monday, sustained wind speeds were 180 mph.

Milton is expected to bring some rain and minor wind effects to this area. Still, trees that were left unsteady by Hurricane Helene may fall. Trees were continuing to fall on roadways earlier this week. 

One of the biggest evacuations in U.S. history is bringing Florida citizens up I-75 into this area in search of food, gas, and shelter. 

Local residents should make sure they have fuel and supplies for the coming days as supply chains may be interrupted.