Chesnee, S.C.’s Hurricane Relief Effort
South Carolina’s very own Governor, Henry McMaster, made an announcement that made many local hearts flutter with hope. Now, keep your hats on, because this may well be the light at the end of the tunnel for many struggling South Carolinians. Gov. McMaster declared that state and federal officials are rolling up their sleeves for the next three days to lend a much-needed helping hand to those folks who are still reeling from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
This initiative is fondly dubbed as ‘Team South Carolina days’. The aim here is simple: bridge the gap between the storm-hit residents and the aid organizations and nonprofits, who are brimming with resources but often have trouble reaching the people who need them the most. Sounds like a fantastic idea, doesn’t it?
If you swing by one of the Team South Carolina day venues, you’ll find that you can deep dive into all the relief resources at your disposal, and how to navigate the normally tricky application process. Not only that, but you’ll see the warm, welcoming faces of officials eager to assist you.
Transportation Troubles
However, not everyone’s as hopeful. Chesnee’s very own Sharon Thomas, a radiant and resilient 69-year-old mother of two, expressed her concerns about transportation. “A lot of people in Chesnee do not have transportation so they either got to rent a taxi or find someone that may take them to get them resources,” said Thomas.
It was Hurricane Helene that left a significant dent not only on Sharon’s property but also her daily life. The storm ripped off a tree, which ended up falling into Sharon’s backyard, shaving off a chunk of her roof. Through no fault of her own, Sharon has been stripped of power, internet, heat, and air conditioning. To make matters worse, the cost of restoring power to her home is estimated to be in the ballpark of thousands of dollars, thanks to her decades-old home not meeting current safety codes.
This has left Sharon, like many others, struggling to get by. “We usually have to go buy food about every day because we can’t afford to run the generator because it costs way too much money to get the gas we need,” she said. It’s heart-wrenching tales like Sharon’s that paint a vivid picture of the need for initiatives like the Team South Carolina days.
The Locations
Here are the places the team will be visiting over the next few days:
- Wednesday, Oct. 9: Clemson University, Littlejohn Coliseum, 219 Perimeter Road, Clemson from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Thursday, Oct 10: Upstate Health Education Complex, 300 N Campus Boulevard, Spartanburg from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Friday, Oct. 11: Greenville Tech Student Success Center, 506 S. Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Keeping in mind the widespread effects of Hurricane Helene, representatives from various state and federal agencies will be present at each of the above locations.
