The North Carolina Fisheries Association (NCFA) recently sent several pallets of seafood and bulk ice to Louisiana to assist in relief efforts following Hurricane Laura.
Jerry Schill, a parishioner at St. Paul in New Bern who is also government affairs director for NCFA, became part of the effort after volunteering to handle transportation logistics.
According to NCFA, Doug Cross of Pamlico Packing in Grantsboro, assembled the seafood, Armistead Perry of Evans Seafood in Washington volunteered his facility for staging and Ross Butler of Wanchese Fish Co. and True North Seafood offered the use of a refrigerated tractor trailer and driver to get the contents to its destination.
Charlie Hohorst of Acadiana Cold Storage in Lafayette, Louisiana, offered the use of his location to accept and store the donations from North Carolina. The Gulf Seafood Foundation’s Helping Hands project will coordinate the deliveries to various locations.
On Sept. 13, True North’s driver, Lakeisha Williamson, arrived at Evans, where the truck was loaded with the seafood, some cleaning supplies and bulk ice. The truck arrived in Lafayette Sept 15. The seafood and ice will be picked up by various relief sites to be used to feed storm victims and relief workers. The ice will be used for coolers to keep food cold for residents in the affected areas until power is restored.
“It’s very beneficial to have an industry that is healthy enough to be able to help those in need at a time like this,” said Schill. “Hurricanes hit the Atlantic and Gulf coasts on a regular basis so we need to have the infrastructure in place and do what we can, just as they would do the same for us.”
Schill said he has always believed in the responsibility of the laity to lead by example.
“It’s too easy to sit back and wait for direction … we need to step up and do what we can. I also believe that we should be ambassadors outside of our parish and even outside of our denomination in spreading the Gospel,” he added.
NCFA and Deacon Joshua Klickman contributed to this report.