ASHLAND — Auer Towing & Recovery LLC, an Ashland and Wooster-based towing company, is accepting donations for a trip to help with disaster relief from Hurricane Helene.
“We have empty trucks headed down and that seems kind of pointless with so many in need,” said Megan Auer, one of Auer Towing’s owners.
Auer said her business has two tow trucks headed down to Tampa, Florida, to help in the wake of the storm. They’ll help recover vehicles from hurricane-affected areas.
Auer said her business was contracted out by FEMA to go down and help with the disaster relief. According to FEMA’s website, when it responds to a disaster, it contracts with businesses in the affected area “whenever practical and feasible.”
Auer Towing & Recovery LLC said they’ll accept donations throughout the day Tuesday before sending their trucks down South to help. They’ll continue to accept donations after Tuesday too, with plans for a third truck to go back-and-forth to deliver supplies.
Auer said they plan to stop at a Tennessee Emergency Management Agency shelter in Seymour to drop the supplies.
Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 hurricane that dissipated Saturday, caused massive damage throughout the South. Storms are still rolling through the area. The death toll has reached 84 people and counting across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
Auer said her towing company’s trucks will head down to help as soon as possible. They’ll likely leave late Tuesday or in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
The Auer Towing Facebook page has shared lists of needed items. Auer said she made the lists based off what she’s hearing from people with relatives in the area.
“There are basically NO roads accessible and tons of rescues going in, which is why we plan to drop at Knoxville,” one of the Facebook posts read. “Anything not accepted there we will continue to take to FL and drop as we go through!
“Thank you again for all your help and donations! In a world that can be so tough, it’s great to see all the love for one another!”
Auer recommended people stay aware about where they make their donations.
BPR News, a North Carolina NPR affiliate, has a list of ways to donate and help flood victims in Western North Carolina. USA Today has also compiled a list of organizations to donate to.
