Gadsden, AL – When devastating floods struck western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene in September, Tina Pendley, an administrative assistant in the Business, Computer Science, and Legal Studies Division at Gadsden State Community College, felt compelled to act.
“My husband and I love Waynesville, Maggie Valley, Cherokee, the whole area,” Pendley shared. “My heart was so heavy and broken for the people who live there. God put it on my heart to do something to help. I couldn’t shake the need to go.”
Determined to provide relief, Pendley partnered with members of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), Gadsden State’s honor society, to organize a donation drive. PTK advisor Melissa Davis said, “PTK members are known to help when people are in need. When Tina came to us about collecting items for Hurricane Helene victims, we instantly agreed to help.”
The drive brought in an outpouring of supplies, including sleeping bags, canned food, pet food, diapers, blankets, cooking stoves, clothing, paper products, children’s books, Bibles, propane, lanterns, socks, and underwear. Members of Chapman’s Chapel Congregational Holiness Church in Glencoe also contributed to the effort.
With their truck packed, Pendley and her husband, David, drove to the Smokey Mountains Event Center, only to find the facility overwhelmed with donations. A soldier at the center directed them to a United Methodist Church in nearby Clyde, N.C., where they were greeted with gratitude.
Pendley recalled the emotional experience of unloading their truck and assisting others. “They had just about everything needed to assist in the recovery efforts, but they needed more propane,” she said. “Within minutes, a truck pulled up filled with propane. God was orchestrating everything.”
The Pendleys’ efforts culminated in a powerful moment as they witnessed a local resident collect a cooking stove they had donated.
“It was beautiful to see that our donation project at Gadsden State could help people in need,” Pendley said. “It was truly an amazing trip.”
The compassionate initiative demonstrated the power of community and service, leaving a lasting impact on both the donors and those receiving aid in the flood-ravaged region.
