This past week, our community came together in an incredible show of support and compassion for those affected by the recent hurricane. Starting promptly at 7 AM, people began arriving at the St. Mark parking lot in De Pere, bringing with them donations for hurricane relief. As the Karl’s Transport semi rolled in, it marked the beginning of what would become a massive collaborative effort to provide aid to those in need.
By 10 AM, the volume of donations made it clear that we would need a second semi to accommodate the generous outpouring of support. As the clock struck noon, it was evident that a third semi was necessary, and we still had our sights set on reaching the Appleton Festival Foods for even more donations.
What truly stood out that day was the spirit of our volunteers. Many of them, who initially came to donate, chose to stay and help load the donations when they noticed the police officers struggling to keep up with the influx. Their selflessness and determination were nothing short of inspiring.
Meanwhile, Katie and other volunteers made their way to Festival Foods, where we called in a fourth semi. Within just an hour, we realized that another semi was needed there as well. Throughout the day, there was no shortage of donations; the community’s response was overwhelming.
By Friday evening around 8 PM, we had dispatched a total of nine semis to Karl’s Transport. Our dedicated staff and volunteers worked tirelessly all weekend, unloading and reloading each semi to ensure everything was prepared for the convoy heading to North Carolina. After meticulous planning for weight distribution, we were able to finalize ten semi loads of donations.
The Karl’s Transport convoy is expected to arrive in Asheville, NC, around lunchtime on Tuesday. As we send them off, we ask for prayers for their safety during the journey and for divine guidance as they reach the disaster area.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all those who played a part in this effort:
- Karl’s Transport: A special thanks to Jil, Karl, Keisha, their entire crew, and the 18 drivers who made this possible.
- St. Mark Church and their staff for their unwavering support.
- Conger Industries and Bayland Buildings for providing forklifts and pallet jacks on such short notice.
- Festival Foods staff for their help with pallets, shrink-wrapping, and organizing boxes.
- Brittany & Gabriel from Lowe’s for operating the forklift until dark to load the last pallet.
- Analeesha and the crew from Gold Cross for their donations and assistance in loading the semis.
- The 18 law enforcement agencies that collected and transported items to the semis, working tirelessly to load donations.
To everyone who donated, volunteered, and offered assistance—thank you! Each one of you played an integral role in this effort, and we believe that God placed all the right people in our path to make this happen.
In closing, we give praise and thanks to God, who moves in ways we often cannot see or understand. His power is always bigger than we can imagine, and to Him be the glory, honor, and praise for the incredible impact we made together. Let’s continue to support one another as we spread hope and kindness in our communities!
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