APPOMATTOX, Va. – A coalition of churches across our region got together to help victims of Helene.
Members of St. Paul Baptist Church in Forest, Virginia are sending a truck full of water, food toiletries and more down to Asheville tomorrow after collecting donations from over six churches in the area including Springfield Baptist in Appomattox, VA and Moral Hill Baptist in Axton, VA.
“When you look at the pictures and what the devastation is, the families there, the people from the community, the businesses there, they’re gonna need help for a long time,” said Harland Brown, pastor for St. Paul Baptist.
Richard Thornhill, a trucker by trade and a member of Brown’s church was able to was able to borrow the truck from his current employer, Thompson Trucking in Appomattox, and a trailer from Owens Trucking in Forest to help coordinate the donations.
“God laid it on my heart when I got up Monday morning to go to work, call your boss, see if he lets you use your truck,” Thornhill said.
Thornhill has been a trucker for over 30 years and will be bringing the truck down to Asheville himself this Saturday.
The truck sat at the Walmart in Appomattox for five days collecting donations. Pastor Brown coordinated with the Virginia Baptist State Convention to help coordinate donation pickups from churches across the Blue Ridge region for the truck to pick up on its way toward Asheville.
The operation was so successful that Thornhill and Pastor Brown are planning on bringing even more aid to Western North Carolina in the future.
“My pastor preaches on it all the time to do something for the better good of other people – its just the way we was raised,” said Thornhill.
For more information about the churches efforts visit their Facebook page.
