Needed Supplies Being Collected To Help Hurricane Helene Victims in North Carolina

By Liz Page

DAVENPORT – Two local business owners have teamed up to help those affected by the devastation in the wake of Hurricane Helene last week. Phil Gerster and Jim Losie are not new to this, they also helped bring needed supplies to those devastated by hurricanes Katrina and Harvey.

The death toll from Helene was still climbing at midweek, with images of devastation over six states. Western North Carolina was one of the hardest hit areas.

Gersters Trucking Inc. in Davenport Center and Losie's Gun Shop in Southside Oneonta are providing a collection spot and a truck to bring the supplies to the devastated areas of North Carolina. Losie's is located at 6748 NY-23, just east of Oneonta.

A load of horse hay and horse feed was headed to Hendersonville, NC today (Friday). "It's located eight miles off I-95 to some folks who lost horses and feed," said Phil Gerster on Wednesday. "Connie Lubow, who works at NYSEG in Oneonta provided the connection and it will be headed out Friday afternoon."

Gerster is hoping the tractor and trailer will arrive back at Losie's by noon on Sunday so they can begin filling a trailer immediately with the supplies needed. They have connected with a church group and a community center in Boone, North Carolina. A pickle ball court will serve as a staging area where the supplies will be offloaded to send it north to the hardest hit areas, according to Gerster. "They will begin sending the supplies north where people have seen the heaviest damage."

The list of supplies they are asking for, includes: bottled watered, non-perishable food in sealed containers, all kinds of batteries, flashlights, all sizes of diapers for adults and children, unscented laundry detergent, over the counter medications, all sizes of new socks for men, women and children. The items should be new and in sealed containers, including the over the counter medications and socks. The donations may be taken to Losies where they will be loaded onto the truck supplied by Gersters.

"The last time we received more than one truckload of supplies, so we delivered a second load. We deal with those groups working directly with the disaster victims, rather than dealing with the Federal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA). This way there is no bureaucracy involved and the items are distributed where they are needed immediately, without sitting in a warehouse," said Gerster. "We will park the trailer at Losie's and when it is full we will take it to North Carolina."