COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — One week ago Hurricane Helene took a northeast turn as it moved past our viewing area.
That spared us from major storm damage, but it put cities like Augusta in the bullseye. At least 20 people died in the storm and the folks there need all the help they can get.
Here in Columbus, locals are determined to help. Seven planes are going out Saturday morning, and they've already delivered one-and-a-half tons of relief supplies.
It started back on early Friday morning when bags and boxes of relief supplies were loaded into a single engine plane at Flightways Columbus. The Cessna 182 belongs to Debbie Morris. She's retired from Pratt & Whitney and is among a group of local pilots that volunteers with Angel Flight.
"God brought me to Columbus," said Morris. Initially it was for work, but really it was for my church and aviation. So I was very thankful. So that's when I fell in love with aviation when I got my airplane."
The non-profit Angel Flight is a Godsend when it comes to disaster relief. This is how Angel Flight Coordinator Len Strozier describes it.
"General aviation pilots can fly into a disaster area almost before the wind stops blowing, as long as the runway is open," said Strozier. "We can fly behind all the destruction and bring in supplies."
The dire need of so many impacted by Helene triggered a partnership between Angel Flight, Flightways Columbus, and the First Baptist Church of Columbus. An appeal to the church and to the community resulted in an outpouring of donations and supplies.
Pastor Jimmy Elder could see the hand of the Lord at work.
"When we understand what the Lord has done for us in a time like this, it's not just that we were spared," Elder said. "But we were positioned to be able to help other people."
After a pre-flight check, Debbie sailed away from the Columbus airport with a plane full of supplies for the 90-minute flight to Augusta. Blue tarps on rooftops were a clear indication of the storm damage to neighborhoods around Augusta. Even Daniel Field showed signs that Helene had hammered Augusta with trees uprooted next to the runway.
Debbie was met by folks from Augusta First Baptist Church who unloaded the heartfelt gifts from Columbus.
One of people involved includes Augusta First Baptist Youth Minister Matt Hester, who says "One of the greatest things that's been able to happen is churches and other people from various communities outside of the CSRA are able to bring in resources that help provide some of those essential items to families here."
Shortly after noon, Debbie was back in the air headed back to Columbus. She would go on to make a second trip before nightfall. Meanwhile, the recipients of the supplies knew that on this day, they had been touched by an Angel Flight.
Donations of relief supplies are still being accepted at Flightways Columbus, Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon. They will continue to be accepted until the organization says otherwise.
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