Piles of donations were waiting for Justin Poirot at the Colonial Shopping Center on Wednesday. The final stop was to be in Pittsfield but his trailer was already overfull.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Justin Poirot, a 1997 Mount Greylock Regional graduate, stopped at the Colonial Plaza on Wednesday to top off his trailer before heading to North Carolina.
"I grew up in Berkshire County, and I lived in Florida for 27 years so I have seen what hurricanes can do directly and how they affect people," Poirot said. "Even when the story is out of the news, people are still struggling and they aren't getting the help they need."
The goal was to fill a trailer with 7,000 pounds of food, clothing, necessities and tools to help North Carolinians, thousands of whom are still dealing with power outages, road washouts and flooding after Hurricane Helene hit the Appalachian region on Sept. 26.
Poirot did pickups in Hadley, South Hadley and Ware on Tuesday. By Wednesday in Williamstown, he was full.
"People came out in droves," he said. "I am going to have extra … this was going to be the second to last stop but I don't think I can take anymore."
He said he would sort through the donations and make sure to bring down the absolute essentials before figuring out a second trip down South.
Supplies needed include baby formula and diapers, cat and dog food, canned and nonperishable items, blankets and sleeping bags, tools such as shovels and axes, among other things.
"People brought a lot of gas stoves, a lot of warm clothing, food for animals lots of things for children and babies," he said.
The North Adams Elks have donated 40 cases of bottled water and Drury High School students were drawing and writing cards and poems through a community service program with teacher Pat Boulger.
Poirot has been in touch with his brother as well as mission groups working in the affected area. He said they plan to bring the donations to Black Mountain and Chimney Rock.
Poirot attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the state of Florida and spent more than 20 years as a police officer in Gainesville, including as a helicopter pilot for the force. He more recently retired and now lives in South Hadley.
He said he was blown away by the kindness within the community.
"I'm blown away. This is all just started from a single Facebook post," he said. "So the need for a second run obviously is there. We are having too much, and that is not a bad thing because it's all going back."
Poirot said he plans to leave at the "crack of dawn" Thursday morning, deliver the goods Friday and Saturday, then return home Sunday.
