ORANGEVILLE, Pa. — When pulling up to the Tom Bowman Trucking Company near Orangeville, you can find volunteers loading up pallets full of donations. The trucking company recently took to social media, asking for donations to help out a friend of a friend in the Asheville, North Carolina area following Hurricane Helene.
"And they're coordinating everything to get it distributed. The first load we had down, I believe, was Saturday, and they had it distributed by noon, which worked out great," said Kelly Bowman, Tom Bowman Trucking Company office manager.
Since Wednesday, the trucking company has been taking in donations of everything from baby items to personal hygiene products.
"To wheelchairs, and it's just paper towels, paper products. They need a lot of that because the churches that are serving are getting some of it, and it helps them out as well," said Bowman.
The Tom Bowman Trucking Company originally thought they'd only have one trailer to send down but this is the fourth truck heading down to make the 600 mile trip to North Carolina.
"This community has been absolutely amazing. They are even some of them brought to tears when they come here because they're just happy to have a way to help, and that's why we keep on going," said Bowman.
Right now, the trucking company is no longer accepting donations, so those in need have a chance to get the items.
"We have another hurricane down in Florida coming, and we have family there as well, and that one seems like it's going to be a doozy, so we're probably going to try and ramp up again here, but we just got to get unloaded, and distributed and go from there," said Bowman.
Depending on the need, the Tom Bowman Trucking Company might start taking donations again in a few weeks.