RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina State University football player Davin Vann tiptoed between obstacles at the Wolfpack’s indoor practice facility midway through game week.
And it had nothing to do with an upcoming visit from Wake Forest.
Instead, he carefully weaved through boxes of canned food, stacks of bottled water, and shopping bags filled with diapers, hygiene products, and batteries. The defensive end, known for chasing down ball carriers and playing quarterback in a sense, led a donation drive to help victims of Hurricane Helen in Western North Carolina, with help from his family’s transportation company.
The campaign was such a success that it has been extended through the rest of this week, with multiple attempts to help those affected by the storms that left shocking devastation in parts of the Carolinas, Georgia and Georgia. This is just one example of our sports-related initiatives. Tennessee.
“That was kind of my mindset, like, ‘I hope we can get enough people to help at least a little bit,'” Vann told The Associated Press. “Well, it was much more than I expected.”
Last week, a Category 4 storm hit the Southeast, causing flooding to wash away roads and cut off entire communities without electricity, water or cell phone service, leaving more than 200 people dead. Relief efforts continue in multiple states, including in college and professional sports.
In Charlotte, David Tepper, owner of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, and his wife Nicole donated $3 million to relief efforts through their foundation. The NBA’s Charlotte Hornets and the NASCAR racing team owned by retired NBA and North Carolina great Michael Jordan each donated $1 million to the relief effort.
A multi-day donation drive at the Charlotte Motor Speedway track near Concord, known for its NASCAR races, was extended through Thursday after strong community response. As the tragedy neared, a parade of trucks loaded with donations arrived at North Wilkesboro Speedway Thursday.
In East Tennessee, Bristol Motor Speedway has been designated a regional disaster relief center and is accepting donations.
“Our community, friends and loved ones are hurting, and we stand ready to assist in any way possible,” said Speedway President and General Manager Jerry Caldwell. said.
Elsewhere in the state, Eastern Tennessee State University is collecting donations and sending four vans to a nearby high school being used as a shelter, and four trucks to a church in Irwin. On Saturday, the Buccaneers will host Chattanooga in football, and fans are asked to bring more supplies for donation.
And in Georgia, Augusta National, home of the famous Masters Golf Tournament, and the Central Savannah River Area Community Foundation announced a joint donation of $5 million to a relief fund supporting the greater Augusta area.
NC State’s indoor practice facility and Carter-Finley Stadium share the same parking lot with Lenovo Center, the arena home of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh. While Vann was helping people drop off donations through Wednesday evening, the Hurricanes held a fundraiser tied to their preseason game against the Nashville Predators and raised about $280,000 for Helen Relief. Collected.
Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren said Vann’s mother, Joy Hall, owner of Cary-based Joyful Movers, which opened in 2006, contacted him shortly after the storm. Their plan was to collect supplies to deliver to the Durham Rescue Mission’s massive relief effort.
On Wednesday evening, while Vann sorted through supplies and greeted donors with a handshake, Hall was there with other family members, going through flat rows of cardboard boxes and preparing to fill them with donations. I was doing it. Meanwhile, cars kept coming in, some with supplies piled high in the back seats.
“I was really grateful to them,” Doeren said Thursday of Vann’s family. “What they’re doing is an uplifting deal. And now it’s increasing with a lot more people involved. And a lot of players, a lot of staff, recruiting staff, operations staff, trucks on deck. People from the community came and unloaded things for everyone. We need it.”
As of Thursday, Vann’s donation drive had already filled six trucks with supplies, with more on the way.
“It’s a very heartwarming story,” Vann said. “It’s great to see the community so willing to donate their time and money to help the people of western North Carolina, even if they’ve never met us before.”
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AP Sports Writers John LaVey in West Virginia and Teresa M. Walker in Tennessee contributed to this report.