EHS coat drive key for Helene relief

Some students in North Carolina are enjoying new winter coats this year thanks to the generosity of the Eisenhower High School Key Club and the Lawton-Fort Sill community.

The coats went to students who were victims of Hurricane Helene earlier this year and were delivered by Eisenhower High School teacher Sheila Maxson when she returned home for Fall Break earlier this month. Maxson and her students conducted the winter clothing drive in anticipation of Maxson’s annual trek back to her hometown of Reidsville, N.C.

The outpouring of donations was so great that Maxson could not get everything in her SUV. She has several boxes of items stored in her classroom, which she will deliver when she goes back for Christmas.

Donations came not only from the Lawton-Fort Sill community but also from members of EHS Key Club, of which Maxson is a co-sponsor. Maxson said Key Club members spent about $300 on 13 new coats during a shopping trip. Club members also helped her box up the items.

“They were super excited to help,” she said.

Maxson gave the new coats to a friend who teaches in Avery County, one of the areas hit hard by Helene. She said her friend was excited to receive the timely donation.

“It snowed two days after I got there,” Maxson said. “The timing was perfect.”

A separate donation of pants, sweaters, blankets, coats and socks were given to the hospital where Maxson’s sister works. They were taken to a regional distribution center and will eventually make their way to Asheville, N.C., to be distributed.

Maxson said some students, including the school where her friend teaches, are still not back in session although Hurricane Helene hit the area almost a month ago. The area still has no electricity and some roads are washed out. The state has given school districts a month to come up with an education plan, Maxson said.

“I felt really bad for them,” Maxson said. “They are trying to find a way to reach kids to continue education. Without power and without internet, they are deadlocked.”

Maxson has used the situation as a teaching moment. She has asked her students how they would deal with not having internet or cellphone service and not being able to charge their electronic devices.

While Maxson did not see any destruction on her trip, she did have to take some alternate routes to her destination.

“Some towns are just now opening back up to tourists,” she said.

Maxson plans to load up her SUV with the remaining items when she returns home for Christmas.

“It will be a packed vehicle again,” she said.

She said she did not expect the outpouring of donations from the Lawton-Fort Sill community.

“I’m extremely thankful for the donation,” she said. “I feel that students and myself were overwhelmed with donations that were dropped off.”