SELINSGROVE, Pa. — A trailer sits in the parking lot at the Selinsgrove VFW post 6631 in Penn Township. The organization is collecting donations for those down south who were left with nothing due to flooding from Hurricane Helene.
"We hope to have it filled up within about two weeks, so they can take it down—go down to North Carolina department headquarters of the VFW, and they will unload it so he can come back right away, and hopefully we can help those people down there and do a good job," said Harold Aucker, Selinsgrove VFW Post 6631 service officer.
Harold Aucker is the service officer at the Selinsgrove VFW. He says he and other veterans wanted to help out since the Selinsgrove area is no stranger to flooding.
"The '72 flood, different things like that, and the flashing flooding we had up in Wilkes-Barre area and around, and we know what it's like to lose everything, so we decided, hey, veterans help veterans," said Aucker.
Once the trailer is filled up, it will make it's way to Spring Lake, North Carolina. Volunteers are collecting toys for kids, non perishable food items, and more.
"Cat food, dog food, litter—kitty litter, whatever, you know stuff like that, but really we're focusing on the infants, toddlers, and the elderly, we gotta help them," said Aucker.
Veterans are asking those who would like to donate to call the Selinsgrove VFW before dropping items off.
"We'll tell you when you can come, or you can bring it here and drop it off, and we'll see what gets put in the trailer, but we would like to have a phone call so we can have somebody here and get it in the trailer as soon as possible," said Aucker.
The Selinsgrove VFW will be accepting donations until the trailer is full.