FREDONIA — It has been months since Hurricane Helene destroyed areas of the southeastern United States. Since that happened, it has been the mission of a team of Wisconsinites to do whatever they can to help those impacted.
For the last couple of months, JJ Winnemuller and his team in Fredonia have been buying and fixing up campers (sometimes they are donated). The volunteers donate the campers to victims of the hurricane who have been left homeless. There are hundreds if not thousands of people still living in tents and in their cars.
"We're getting going on purchasing more campers and getting them ready to go," JJ Winnemuller said.
These are more than just campers. They are signs of hope for the people that receive them.
"Being down there seeing what it's like it definitely opens your eyes," Winnemuller said about the destruction the hurricane caused.
So far Winnemuller and his team have fixed up and donated about 12 campers. It's all through the organization TN & NC Strong.
“It’s been a couple of months, and people are still in need,” Winnemuller said.
He got involved after hearing what Lesli Frank from Green Bay was doing. After witnessing the destruction herself, she knew she needed to help. The two got connected after Frank's car broke down trying to take one of the campers south. Winnemuller saw a Facebook post asking for help. He didn't hesitate. Since then, the two have been working on buying, fixing, and donating as many campers as possible. The group has donated about 30 campers so far.
"I think that it’s just a call. I feel like God called us to participate," Frank said.
It takes anywhere from a few hours to a few days to get the campers ready. They are stocked with food, toiletries, dishes, silverware, pots, pans, a crockpot, coffee maker, trash bags, linens and more.
"When you know that people are living in tents, and it's cold, or in cars, and you hear about the people who pass away in cars because they are trying to stay warm, and just aren't able to. I mean, I have six kids, and I can't imagine trying to take care of that," Frank said.
Watch Wisconsin volunteers buy, fix, and donate campers to Hurricane Helene victims
When traumatic events or natural disasters happen, often times a lot of attention is given to them right away. But then the attention fades. However, for the people who experienced it, they’re impacted for days, weeks, months, and years down the line. That's why Frank, Winnemuller, and their team of volunteers got involved. They don't want these victims to feel like they have been brushed aside and forgotten.
“They just don’t want them to be forgotten, and then businesses and a lot of private citizens say if it’s not going to be taken care of the way that we anticipate it would be, then let’s step in and take care of it ourselves,” Frank said.
Normally, Winnemuller, who owns JJ's Lawn Service, would be doing winter preps for his business and snowplowing. Instead, he said he will continue working on campers "untill the demand is done.”
All of this has been made possible thanks to community donations. The group is always looking for free or cheap campers along with food, toiletries, cookware, and linens. You can support this cause by visiting TN & NC Strong on Facebook. You will be asked to answer a few simple questions before being admitted to the group. They want to prevent bots and scammers from joining.
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