 Western Carolina Emergency Network Accepts 2025 ReadyCommunities Partnership/CCROA National Service Award for Collaboration to Augment Local ResponseThrough a Mutual Mission Developed by Community-Based Volunteer Leaders and Entrepreneurs Who Organized to Provide Critical Supplies to Those in Need During the Initial Response to the Hurricane Helene Crisis
By: CCROA In response to the destruction and deaths caused by Cat 4 Hurricane Helene which struck NC on September 27, 2024, a broad-based volunteer team quickly formed as WCEN to manage donations and distribute critical supplies such as food, water and fuel in the disaster zone. During the early response, WCEN founder Chris Larsen said, "When someone gets knocked down and you're standing - it's your job to somehow help." Congressman Chuck Edwards said the damage was unprecedented across Western North Carolina and prepared a special report for the attention of President Donald J. Trump (2025 April) detailing the region's needs for recovery https://edwards.house.gov/ WCEN quickly built its volunteer network with contacts from local churches, disaster nonprofit organizations, truck drivers, a helicopter team, fuel haulers, and medical care, logistics, heavy equipment, and agricultural experts eventually moving all communication and coordination to the Signal app. Local churches were vital to identifying those most in need to support both community and organizational needs. Two weeks into the recovery, fuel was critically needed for deliveries and rebuilding. In response, the initial WCEN fuel drivers included Austin Livengod, Aaron Andrews, Brian Penrod, Chase Parsons, Chris Barker, Christy Sowers, Dan Jones, Jacob Kost, Jon Higdon, Nick Dahlenburg, Noel Billings, TJ Frost, Walt Waggoner, and West Caudle who immediately agreed to make the deliveries. WCEN fuel volunteer coordinator Rhonda Jean said, "If it wasn't' for these drivers we wouldn't have achieved such success." Co-sponsored by the non-partisan Corporate Crisis Response Officers Association (https://www.ccroa.org & the Community Institute for Preparedness, Response, and Recovery (CIPRR), the 2025 ReadyCommunities Partnership National Service Award was co-presented by Dr. Rosalie J. Wyatt, MBA, National Director for the ReadyCommunities Partnership/ Dr. Rosalie J. Wyatt remarked, "WCEN is remarkable in that it formed so quickly as a mutual mission with local and volunteer community leaders to restore and fortify their community in crisis." WCEN organization volunteer founders included Kristen Engard (Marketing), Rhonda Jean (Fuel Coordinator) Rachel Lepine also represented Congressman Chuck Edwards (NC-11) in the Hendersonville, NC office by hosting approximately twenty award ceremony attendees including volunteer WCEN organization founders and family members, and fuel delivery drivers. Since 2007, RCP/CCROA National Service and Sacrifice Awards https://www.ccroa.org/ Contact ReadyCommunities Partnership/ Rosalie J. Wyatt, PhD, MBA www.readycommunities.org Mailing Address 1390 Chain Bridge Road, #490 McLean, VA. 22101 Photos: https://www.prlog.org/ https://www.prlog.org/ https://www.prlog.org/ End
Page Updated Last on: Jun 05, 2025
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