LOUISA COUNTY, Va. -- While the impact of Hurricane Helene was not nearly as deadly in Southwest Virginia as it was in the Carolinas and Florida, it was just as devastating.
According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, 75 roads, two of which are primary highways, were impacted by downed trees and damage caused by floodwaters.
“Our brothers and sisters in Virginia need our help,” said Lloyd Runnet.
The former first responder turned executive director of the Louisa County Resource Council (LCRC), which houses a county-wide food bank serving nearly 1,800 people in need a month, says it’s necessary for this operation to fulfill a need for our neighbors in the southwest.
“Many families were devastated, communities were torn apart,” Runnet said. “This storm is going to leave an impact on families for generations to come. Here particularly at the Louisa County Resource Council we want to give back.”
Mobilizing under the commonwealth motto, Runnett and his network of volunteers are running around the clock. To pack and organize all the essentials… in about a half dozen big rigs just like this one.
“We like to say Virginia is for lovers,” Runnet said. “We’re going to love on the folks of southwest Virginia and see that they get all the thing that they need that we can provide them to make the impact of this storm as bearable as we possibly can.”
Though the relief and aid in the Southwest region can’t come soon enough, Runnet says his team is taking a methodical approach.
“We’re making a very intentional calculated response,” Runnet said. “We vetted our process and our plans through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and we are partnering with the United Way of Southwest Virginia to make sure that what we get... is going to the appropriate location."
As the United Way and other nonprofits continue to support those most affected, Runnet hopes he and his volunteers can curate a convoy of supplies between Oct. 17 and 18.
“In my experience as an emergency first responder, many people rush in to help out and then as the tasks becomes less of a sprint and more of a marathon, people tend to lose focus. We wanted to be very intentional about coming in and being able to continue to support the operations and see that all of those folks are given care in the long term,” Runnet said.
The LCRC is also asking for the community to donate essential items to be driven up to those impacted Hurricane Helene. If you would like to support the LCRC in its efforts you can find more information at louisaresource.org.
“We’re not going to limit ourselves. Runnet said. “We already have built into our plans the ability to expand to also workout over a period of time how we deliver these things so that we don’t overwhelm the resources in the community.”
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have information to share.
