Fayetteville Technical Community College on Monday, Dec. 16, delivered a tractor-trailer load of high-need supplies to Blue Ridge Community College to help victims of Hurricane Helene.

The supplies were gathered over several weeks through a collection drive at the N.C. Community College System’s biennial conference in October; and through additional collection drives at Bladen Community College, Robeson Community College and FTCC, where faculty, staff, students, community partners and members of the public participated.

Collected items included canned meat and other food, blankets, heaters, warm clothing, cleaning products and supplies, toiletries, school supplies, and children’s toys for the upcoming holidays.

Eric Smith, the lead instructor in FTCC’s Commercial Driver’s License program, drove the loaded tractor trailer to Blue Ridge Community College in Hendersonville Monday to make the delivery.

BRCC’s service area, which encompasses Henderson and Transylvania counties, was heavily impacted by the devastation of Hurricane Helene in late September. Many of BRCC’s students and employees remain in dire circumstances because of the catastrophic damage.

"We are deeply grateful to our friends and colleagues at Fayetteville Technical Community College for their extraordinary generosity and compassion," said Dr. Laura Leatherwood, president of Blue Ridge Community College in a press release. "Thanks to Fayetteville Tech's leadership in coordinating and delivering these vital donations - including contributions from Bladen, Robeson and other community colleges - our students and families most affected by Hurricane Helene will approach the winter months and holiday season with greater safety, warmth and hope."

FTCC will be closed for the holidays, from Dec. 19 through Jan. 1, and will not be collecting items for Helene victims until further notice. The College is grateful for the generosity of all who participated in the collection campaign.