Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Florida Big Bend region the last week of September and quickly carved a path of destruction through the south with torrential rain and wind. One town in north-eastern Tennessee, Mountain City, was particularly hard hit. In two hours the river rose so quickly that everything in its path was destroyed by the raging water.

The Trough Creek Valley Volunteer Fire Dept. in Cassville, PA heard of the destruction to the town and its fire department and quickly organized a relief effort. While the fire dept chief, Logan Fritz, coordinated the collection of supplies his uncle, ABF Steward Randy Whitehouse, contacted Local 776 Secretary-Treasurer Ron Hicks to see if transportation could be provided for the relief effort. In keeping with our motto “People Helping People” Ron quickly arranged for the Local’s truck to move the much-needed supplies to Tennessee. This trip was made by Local 776 VP Chalmer Edgin, II, and ABF Steward Garry Teter, Jr.

The duo arrived in Cassville on Sunday, October 6^th where several volunteers were on hand to assist in loading the truck with clothing, non-perishable food goods, water, and firefighting equipment.

The volunteers who helped load the relief supplies.

Far-right are Garry Teter, Jr, and Chalmer Edgin, II. (With cap). In front of them is Chalmer's mother, Linda Edgin.

Chalmer and Garry arrived in Mountain City early Monday morning, where the truck was unloaded at a relief center that had been established at a strip shopping center that hadn’t been destroyed.

As the sun rose over the Tennessee mountains the truck was quickly unloaded.

Once they were unloaded in Mountain City there was no rest for the weary, instead of heading home our two disaster relief drivers were headed to Richmond, VA. in support of Teamster….(To be continued!)

On the road again, Garry, (L) and Chalmer, in the driver's seat, head to Richmond