Hurricane Florence has students wanting to help

By: Elijah DeVivo

Staff Writer

Hurricane Florence, classified as a category 2, made its way to the East Coast and its impact has caused extreme devastation.

The storm has caused over $17 billion in damage. With winds as high as 140 mph, the hurricane has brutalized Florida, the Carolinas and Virginia. With Hurricane Florence still taking its toll, the death count now climbs to over 20 people, not counting the 16 reported deaths that were indirectly caused by the storm. 

As with any natural disaster, people from all over the nation, and sometimes the world, come together to help those afflicted. This raises the questions: what are some good ideas to help? Can students make a difference? 

Different students propose different ideas. Breona Heidelmark, a human services major said, “We should hold a fundraiser with prizes in the campus center, and the money raised should be donated to the Red Cross or one of the many organizations helping the situation.”

While fundraising is extremely helpful, there are also less typical responses to helping the victims of Hurricane Florence. Amber Chen, an accounting major, thinks that helping should go beyond any fundraiser. “We should go above donations. If it is possible to volunteer on site, I think that would be even more effective.”

Individual studies major, Marielle Volusnem also has a similar idea regarding alternative ideas. Volusnem said, “As a student, I think we should focus our efforts into fixing the schools for the youth down in that region. I think fundraising will help, but we should also focus on medical related issues. People have been injured and donating blood may be helpful because there are people in need.”

There are various projects being started throughout the country to help victims of Hurricane Florence. Besides fundraisers, there are organizations urging people to donate clothes and shoes to help those who have lost everything. Also, Google has stated that they will match up to $1 million in donations made to the American Red Cross.

Over a week has passed since the storm has made landfall, but things continue to get worse. New evacuations have been called into effect forcing many to abandon their homes. 1 million people had to evacuate from four states due to the initial hit of Hurricane Florence. Homes are submerged while the flooding continues. Experts say it will take months to repair roads and years in order to repair homes and other buildings.

The costs to repair the damages will be more than usual for a number of reasons. Costs of material usually rise after natural disasters because of demand, but President Trump’s new tariffs have raised costs of plywood and lumber about 30% in the last six months.

While the damage continues on the East Coast, people around the nation have sprung into action and have come together in unison to help those in need. The outpour of help has inspired many, including the students of Hudson Valley, to come up with ideas on how to help those affected.