Hart said more than 50,000 pounds of supplies have been delivered in Start Skydiving airplanes and cargo vans to some of the hardest hit and most rural areas. Start Skydiving stored the donated items in its hangars at Middletown Regional Airport, and at Breiel Boulevard Church of God, he said.
He said the supplies have been donated by area residents and Start Skydiving.
“God blessed us with the resources,” Hart said when asked why Start Skydiving got involved in the humanitarian efforts. “We use the planes to make money, but they’re also meant for other things.”
He said each airplane can hold about 3,000 pounds, while the cargo vans can transport about 7,500 pounds. Hart said he was “blown away” by the amount of donations, including chainsaws, generators, medical supplies, pet food and water.
The planes were able to land at airports once the flood waters receded, he said.
Molson Coors, with a brewery located in Trenton, has donated almost 280,000 cans of fresh water to help the residents living in Tampa and St. Petersburg, Fla.; Kingsport, Tenn.; and Asheville and Hickory in North Carolina, the company said in a release.
The water is canned at Molson Coors’ Trenton brewery and stored at its breweries in Shenandoah, Va., Milwaukee and Golden, Colo.
Earlier this week, Molson Coors announced it was donating 90,000 cans of water to support recovery in the wake of Hurricane Milton. The company said this donation will provide vital support, delivering fresh water to residents impacted by the severe storms and flooding that occurred just a week after the devastation of Hurricane Helene.
“At Molson Coors, we are committed to supporting communities that need assistance in times of crisis and natural disaster,” Michael Nordman, Molson Coors’ senior manager of community affairs, said in a release. “By working closely with our local distributors, we can ensure that fresh, clean water reaches those facing the devastation and hardships of these hurricanes.”
Launched in partnership with Ball Corporation in 2017, Molson Coors’ water donation program has provided nearly 3 million cans of water to communities impacted by natural disasters, including wildfires, floods and hurricanes.
The city of Hamilton received a mutual aid request in advance of Hurricane Helene. One supervisor, three journeyman lineworkers, and one apprentice volunteered to go and support in the aftermath, according to the city.
Those who reported to Tallahassee: Jake Nieman, Jeff Hill, Chris Napier, Adam Wong and Ethan Thompson.
The city also sent bottles of its award-winning water to the hurricanes victims in North Carolina, Joel Lauer, a city council member, said during a recent meeting. He thanked Mayor Pat Moeller and city staff for their quick response.
“This is an amazing community,” Lauer said.
HAVE A STORY TO SHARE?
The Journal-News periodically runs a “Good News” story on weekends. If you have a story idea, send it to contributing writer Rick McCrabb at rmccrabb1@gmail.com.
About the Author
