LIGHT AMID THE STORM – Part 2
by Francesca, email
Now some backrgound.
‘Hurukan’ was the ancient Caribbean storm god, feeding on warm ocean waters. Hurricanes still wreak havoc around the world.
The Atlantic Hurricane Season lasts from June1 – Nov.30, when the waters cool and the storms subside. An average of 14 hurricanes form per season, but this year Helene and Milton struck with epic force and government agencies, local and international aid groups, and countless individuals rushed in to help.
Amidst all this, confusion and frustration are inevitable – but so are inspiring stories! Just a few I know personally:
+ Pack mules from a local North Carolina ranch have been carrying supplies to remote homes over tree-strewn roads where trucks can’t pass.
+ The Cajun Navy from here in Louisiana – a well-organized group of guys with boats and big hearts – traveled to NC to help with search and rescue. They even partnered with the mule teams to deliver vital supplies like insulin, and teddy bears for the kids.
+ A friend of mine owns the Tyger Tyger gallery, a women’s art collective in Asheville, NC. Floodwaters from the river rose to the second floor, and after they subsided she posted an online plea for help. Friends and strangers showed up to salvage paintings from the wreckage, and shovel out the mud.
+ Another friend lives in Tampa, Florida. Before Hurricane Milton struck she walked along her street singing to the trees, to give them strength. She also put out extra seeds for the birds and squirrels to fortify them before the storm. They’re all OK, only the ground is now littered with leaves and branches like snow.