The Salvation Army Indiana Division teamed up with WTWO out of Terre Haute, IN, on October 10 to raise funds to support the Hurricane Helene disaster response. A phone bank operating at the WTWO and WAWV headquarters took donations from 6:00 AM through 6:30 PM as news teams and special guests shared with viewers how The Salvation Army’s EDS teams on the ground can turn their donations into hope for those affected by the storm.
WTWO General Manager Tim Sanders rallied his team late last week in response to the news that The Salvation Army was on the ground serving but needed donations to keep up with the tremendous need they were seeing. Working with the Indiana Division team, local businesses, and volunteers, the WTWO Hurricane Relief Drive quickly came together.
Salvation Army EDS team members stationed across the South were interviewed by WTWO to provide up-to-date information and give viewers a sense of the ground response. “All gifts that go to The Salvation Army for a disaster, if you tell us you want that to go for Hurricane Helene, that’s what we’re going to do. Those monies will go directly to that disaster, into those impacted communities,” said Laurie Fried, Territorial Long Term Recovery Specialist stationed in Ashville, NC.
In addition to these interviews, Salvation Army leadership from Indiana joined the phone bank to give live interviews and take phone calls from donors. Major Mike McKee, Divisional EDS Director for Indiana, and Major Marc Johnson, Division Commander, offered their perspective from decades of experience responding to natural disasters.
“These funds are so vital to the long response already underway,” Major Johnson shared. “Disaster can strike anywhere, anytime, but we can always count on Midwesterners to step up and help. We saw it during COVID and last year when tornadoes caused devastation not that far from the WTWO studios. When people are in need, they are ready to help. You can’t ask for more than that.”
Several businesses in Terre Haute and throughout the Wabash Valley also stepped up to support the fundraiser. Baesler’s Market hosted a special Red Kettle at its flagship store in Terre Haute while six area First Farmer’s Bank & Trust branches accepted donations from the public on behalf of The Salvation Army. WTWO also had a few surprise visits from businesses offering financial support. Duke Energy, which has hundreds of Indiana workers helping with grid repairs across the South, presented a $5,000 check during the evening newscast.
Representatives of Duke Energy also volunteered for a shift in the phone bank, as did other familiar faces in the community, like Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun and Vigo County Sheriff Derek Fell.
With an initial goal of raising $20,000 through the WTWO Hurricane Relief Drive, the WTWO and WAWV audiences rose to the challenge and donated almost $30,000 by the end of the day.
