• A donation drive organized by Wakulla County neighbors benefits Helene victims in Taylor County.
• Neighbors in Crawfordville and Sopchoppy came to the rescue.
• Watch the video to hear from them why it’s important to maintain support, no matter the distance.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

Taylor County was hit by Hurricane Helene a month ago, but county neighbors are still working hard to support Helene victims in any way they can. I’m Kenya Cardonne in the Crawfordville neighborhood. A donation campaign organized by neighbors that we told you about earlier is in full swing and you still have time to participate in the relief.

Jade Sullivan, Neighbor – “There are still so many people out of jobs, out of homes, who have lost everything..”

Jade Sullivan is loading up her trailer for an important trip that will help Taylor County on its way to recovery from Helene.

Sullivan – “Upon arrival, I kind of decided that one trip wasn’t enough.”

We introduced you to this Wakulla County native as she spread the word about Saturday’s Donation Drive.

After visiting disaster-stricken areas like Steinhatchee and Keaton Beach, Sullivan says rallying his community to help was practically a natural instinct.

Several neighbors came out to drop off things like cleaning supplies, non-perishable food and baby items. Others spared the cash donations, like Robert Romahn.

Robert Romahn, Neighbor – “They were not destroyed by a government, by anything, but by a natural disaster. They have nothing.”

He says he can’t imagine what it would have been like for his city to have been destroyed to such an extent.

Romahn – “But they still have hope, that’s the main thing. So if we can give them more hope, that’s amazing.”

Even further away from Crawfordville, but still looking to pitch, were neighbors in Sopchoppy.

Robert Pilkington, Coast & Country Realty in Sopchoppy – “Well now they have to decide between paying insurance deductibles or buying food for their kids.”

Coast & Country Realty owner Robert Pilkington merged his Sopchoppy donation drive with Sullivan’s to try to make as big an impact as possible.

He says many in Wakulla County are putting aside personal struggles for a greater cause.

Pilkington – “We’re all in tough times at the moment. Things are very difficult economically and we are all stretched to the limit, but imagine being stretched like that and then losing everything you have.”

The empathy and relief they hope will stretch further than the distance between the two counties.

Sullivan – “And that’s what drove me to help Taylor County, because we could have been us, and I like to think that if we had been us, Taylor County would have been here for us.”

If you missed Saturday’s collection, there’s still time to play a part in the road. Sullivan will be collecting donations again on Friday, Nov. 8 in front of Tractor Supply on Crawfordville Highway from 4 to 7 p.m.

In Crawfordville, Kenya Cardonne ABC 27