In an epic example of paying it forward, Kentucky Emergency Management and the Kentucky National Guard have mobilized their considerable forces and dispatched them to North Carolina in the wake of devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.

When Kentucky wound up being the hardest hit from the ice storm in 2009 and in the aftermath of the catastrophic tornado of December 10th, 2021, teams from several other states descended upon the Commonwealth to aid in recovery. But that's what you do. You send help even when it isn't requested. Yeah, I called it "paying it forward," and that's an acceptable definition. But...bottom line...you just send whatever you can.

Since Helene devastated Appalachia with torrential, flooding rains that washed out bridges, interstate highways, and entire towns, the affected states are in dire need. Consequently, multiple relief efforts are underway, and that includes the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund through which you can donate just about anything folks would need in the aftermath of a massive storm like Helene. That includes blood.

A huge debt of gratitude goes to all those orchestrating the relief efforts. Folks in the southeast are facing a massive uphill battle. Now earlier, I mentioned what those in the affected areas need, including blood donations, but it is always easier when you have a list in front of you like this one:

And we want to make sure you have links to all the sites where you can make donations through the Red Cross, the North Carolina Disaster Fund, and the TEMA Hurricane Relief Fund. You'll find more in the above Facebook post.

Thank you.

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