Missions of Helping Hands traveled to Spruce Pines with a team of five people – Joe Siragusa of Fredonia, Paul Wandel of Fredonia, Jack Herman of Leon, Sandy Ostrowski of Lancaster, and Kevin Weaver of Brocton. They were joined by Karen Feury of Ashland, N.C.

While in North Carolina, the volunteers worked on a home owned by Barbara Sanjowaski, which was heavily damaged in September.

“The homeowner Barbara said when Hurricane Helene hit, the water rose in less than 10 minutes from 3 feet to 7 feet. They were unable to drive out,” explained Weaver, the director of Missions of Helping Hands. “She stated that they grabbed their cats, waded through the water, which was up to their chins, and went to Spruce Pines Baptists Church where they stayed for two days and then went and stayed with friends in Raleigh.”

Spruce Pines Baptists Church was the only facility in the area that had a generator and was not flooded, so on day one of the hurricane they were taking people into the church to stay. They also took in all the people from the local hospital who were on life support, until they could be transferred to another hospital.

Kevin Weaver is pictured building a cabinet.

According to Weaver, the church’s pastor and five members started cooking and serving three meals a day seven days a week for the entire community and volunteers. As of 209 days after Helene they have served 152,349 meals all done by donations, doing this seven days a week, along with preaching church every Sunday.

Weaver said this church is where all the volunteers stay while helping community members recover and rebuild.

Eventually the Sanjowaskis moved into a camping trailer. Weaver noted that Barbara’s son had not been able to come home since Helene hit, due to no room in the trailer, so he stayed with family in Raleigh.

Mission of Helping Hands spent the week following Easter working on Barbara’s home. They finished it and moved all of the furniture back in. Barbara, who is a special education teacher, worked alongside the volunteers after working at her full-time job.

At the end of the week when the work was completed, the volunteers handed Barbara her keys, and her son returned for the first time to stay.

Pictured is the home of Barbara Sanjowaski immediately after Hurricane Helene.

This was Mission of Helping Hands’ third trip to Spruce Pines and they are planning more to come.

Baptists on Mission Disaster Relief, which Mission of Helping Hands is connected to, has been able to acquire an old elementary school in Spruce Pines, N.C. and are converting it into a recovery center to house and feed 300 volunteers at a time so they can go help the community.

Weaver thanks those who helped sponsor their visits. “Our trips wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for all the community donations and support. A special thank you to Harvest Chapel Free Methodist Church, Hair Affair Salon, Raymond Majerik and Daughter Trucking, Tier One Tire, and our families, as we were gone for Easter Sunday and the rest of the week helping others,” he said.

To donate so they can make more trips to get more families into their homes, make checks out to Missions of Helping Hands and mail them to 8345 Route 380, Brocton, NY 14716.

Pictured is a remodeled kitchen done by members of Missions of Helping Hands.