Wow! Last week was nothing short of crazy and hectic for everyone that lived in the path of Hurricane Matthew. It was my first time experiencing a major hurricane while living on the coast of Georgia, and we were forced to evacuate our precious Island. Most of us along the coast braced for a Category 3 or 4 hurricane. The only thing more impressive than the 60-70 mph gusts of wind and torrential rain, were the acts of kindness that infiltrated the entire community. I know that everyone has powerful stories of people going out of their way to help others during this tough time, and we’d love to hear them! To show your appreciation, post a picture on social media with the hashtag #hurricaneheroes. It’s a wonderful way to focus on all of the good that came out of Hurricane Matthew. And today I’m sharing a few of my favorite #hurricaneheroes.

Surveying Damage Via Facebook Live.
My dear friend, Holly and her husband, Chip, hunkered down on St. Simons Island for the Hurricane. The morning after the storm had passed, they got in their car and started to survey the Island. They used Facebook Live so that others could see the aftermath of the hurricane in real-time. It wasn’t long until word of this live update spread throughout members of the community, and hundreds of people tuned in, in an effort to get a glimpse of their home or neighborhood. Requests to see specific neighborhoods and addresses were pouring in, so the husband and wife duo set out on a mission to ease the minds of the St. Simons residents. Since the public hasn’t been allowed back on the Island, this truly put so many minds to ease!  Thank you, Holly and Chip!

Feeding the Critical Workers.
Our local BBQ joint, Southern Soul BBQ, opened up their doors the day after the hurricane to feed the emergency responders that have worked tirelessly on St. Simons Island. They have been working from before dawn till after dusk to clean up the debris and make our island safe enough for everyone to return. Everyone who has eaten at Southern Soul loves their BBQ, so this was a wonderful way to show appreciation for those who have helped so much. A huge thanks to our local officials, police, and emergency personnel.

Mixed Nuts Consignment is a boutique located on St. Simons Island. Since some people lost everything in the storm, they’re giving away clothes to those people. This just proves that you don’t need to be a big retail giant to make a positive impact on your community.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLWpkBWDKqA/?tagged=stsimonsisland

Taking Church to the Streets.
Wesley United Methodist Church’s Youth Pastor, David Herndon, and his wife, Whitney, from The Grace Graffiti, immediately went to work on the streets when they were allowed back on the mainland–Brunswick, GA. Since church was closed on Sunday morning, they volunteered their time to help neighbors clean up debris left behind from the Hurricane (and looked cute while doing it!). Disclaimer: Clearly the chainsaw is a prop in the photo below! No kids used any power tools.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLWOHwBBYto/?taken-by=dwherndon