My Challenge to Stanly County

This is my challenge to OMJ Stanly County! As a founding member of OMJ and a moderator of the largest OMJ group anywhere, I think WE can show the other counties across the state what it means to come together in a very small little way to help people who need it.

Collectively we have currently 8,262 members in Stanly County. None of us lost our homes yesterday. None of us lost our jobs yesterday. None of us are without power tonight or food on our tables this evening.

Across NC and other states there are over 1 MILLION people without power, and soon I’m sure there will be tens-of-thousands without adequate food. Power won’t be back on in some places for days and even then, without work to go to, parents and families won’t have money to buy food, batteries, and water, even if it’s available in stores.

We can’t help everyone, but across the nation and the state hundreds of people, businesses, and organizations are coming together to help those in need.  I want OMJ to stand out as a driving force for helping others. We’ve been using OMJ to help ourselves for months. I’m asking that you all take maybe just one day to use it to help others!

I’m publishing this blog article to you 8,262 people directly! Just us. What can WE DO to help others in need?

Across Stanly County there have already been OMJ volunteers who have agreed to organize taking donations for people in need. Here is my challenge to you:

I’d like to see 8,262 items donated to the counties in need. A can of soup costs 50 cents at Aldi. An entire case of water costs $3.00.  I realize we can’t all donate to every cause but if only 25% of Stanly County OMJ members will donate 3 cans of food and a bottle of water each – we could feed 1,000 people at least one meal for 1 day. One day can help these families get through what’s going to be a terribly hard time.

I’m not asking you members to take on the entire burden. No one group or person should feel responsible to do that for strangers. I’m just asking you to take a minute out of your day and bring a can of soup, or a couple bottles of water, to one of the collection places below AS SOON AS POSSIBLE so we can get it to those who need it.

Places Accepting Donations in Stanly County:

Bear Creek Mobile Veterinary Clinic – 20492 NC HWY 73 (Beside Southern States on Hwy 73)
Call 704-986-0000 if you need directions.
Drop off times: Monday thru Friday 7:30 until 4:30 daily.
Oakboro Tractor & Equipment - 1160 N Main St, Oakboro, NC 28129
Hours: M-F 8:00-5:00 Lunch 1-2
Saturday 8-12

Individuals:
Sharon Marshall from Facebook (one of our OMJ members) was the first to offer to help coordinate supplies. She can be reached at 704-322-5181 with times for pickup, meeting, etc.

* * * * *

My Pledge

I’m going to start off the donations myself with a minor donation. It’s a mere pittance, but money is tight for all of us. I’ll give ten cans of soup(s) and 1 case of bottled water. That’s not going to cost my family one meal, but maybe it will help another family have two or three. I’m not asking anyone to give until it hurts. I’m asking you to give in such an insignificant way that you won’t even feel it!

 

What I’d Like To See

I’d love to see so much food and water appear at these storage locations in the next 48 hours that we have to rent a semi-tractor-trailer to take it to the victims! I’d love to see so much food that we have to work to find enough people to need it all! Can you imagine having so much support from others during a tragedy like this that you need to turn away more food because your family has too much? I know we are capable of this.

Bill Guyther and other OMJ Admins are working feverishly around the clock to man the support pages for all 100 counties’ OMJ groups on Facebook. Earlier this weekend we setup a new group, a temporary group, that any of you can can join. It’s called  OMJ Aid for the Coast. If you’re on facebook you can join it by clicking this link.

 

What’s going to Happen

I’ve got a lot of fellow carpenters, contractors, and other trades-people that are banding together to go down there this week as soon as we’re able to get in the county, so I won’t be in town long.  We’re taking tools, saws, chainsaws, drills, etc… we’re going to work until hopefully either we drop dead on our feet or the work is done!  We are working with locals to organize teams of contractors, electricians, plumbers, laborers, etc.  We’re gonna cut broken limbs, pick up yards, fix homes and try to make them as safe as possible to live in until conditions improve.

All we’re asking you to do is send a few cans of food with us when we go. My wife will be going down later in the week with another supply run of whatever we’ve collected as well. The first truck rolls out Monday at about lunchtime. I challenge you to drive over across the county, spend 2 dollars in gas, spend 1 or 2 dollars at the store, and pack our trucks so full of food that we need to rent bigger trailers. I SWEAR if it won’t fit in my trailer I’ll make two 350-mile trips if I have to in order to get it to them. Stanly County… give to others. Help OMJ save a little tiny piece of the world that means so much to all of us here in this state!

 

Facebook Users:

If you want to participate in campaign, via facebook, twitter, or however. Feel free to spread the link to this article.  If you want to join us on Facebook and keep abreast of what’s going on, you can join the respective groups here:

OMJ AID FOR THE NC COAST

OBX IRENE – REBUILDING AND ASSISTANCE