Schuylkill County Business Owner’s Facebook Post About Helping Helene Victims Goes Viral; Massive Donation Drive Underway

In the span of one day, a Schuylkill County business owner’s Facebook post went viral locally and now an entire community is pitching in to help victims of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina.

On Tuesday, Brandon Kopinetz shared a conversation he had with his wife, Evelyn, in a Facebook post that’s now been seen by thousands. That conversation was basically recalling how Evelyn was telling Brandon that they needed to do something to help victims of the storm that’s ravaged much of the South, especially western North Carolina.

Together, the couple owns the Historic Washington Hotel in Minersville. And helping victims of a natural disaster is nothing new to them.

Back in 2018, they came to the aid of people in Port Carbon, helping that community effort to ensure folks in that Schuylkill County borough hit hard by a flood had a hot meal.

Less than 24 hours after his Facebook post, Brandon’s phone was blowing up and he, together with three other Schuylkill County business owners, are leading an effort to send a convoy of help to a community in North Carolina.

The primary goal is to essentially set up a mobile kitchen in the town of Black Mountain, North Carolina. That community was devastated by floodwaters, causing unthinkable damage that will take months, if not years, to repair.

There’s no electricity, no running water, and no food. Really, there’s not much of anything left.

5,000 Meals in Three Days

Kopinetz says he plans to set up this mobile kitchen in Black Mountain, North Carolina, and prepare about 5,000 meals for the community over the course of just three days. He, Jason Bower, Jeff Dunkel, and Bobby Weaver, and others will be departing Schuylkill County on Sunday, Oct. 13, with the goal of arriving on Monday, Oct. 14, to begin serving meals they prepare from this kitchen.

That Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, they, along with several other volunteers from Schuylkill County, will serve two meals per day. Kopinetz says he expects to prepare about 1,600 meals for brunch and dinner each day.

In addition to the food and prepared meals, a truck loaded with donations organized by the non-profit group Dustin’s Adventureland, will be headed to North Carolina with the mobile kitchen.

When this group of Schuylkill County volunteers is finished serving the food, the plan is to leave the equipment behind so folks in Black Mountain have a means of preparing future meals for those in need while the community attempts to get back on its collective feet.

Kopinetz says the idea that started as a Facebook post has turned into something he didn’t imagine and it happened very fast. The response has been overwhelming with people wanting to help in any way possible.

“Instead of a drop in the bucket, it’s going to be a splash,” Kopinetz tells The Canary. “It looks like it’s going to be a convoy.”

While Kopinetz is away in North Carolina, he says he’ll have to temporarily close his restaurant and bar business on Sunbury St. He’ll be taking along two employees from his kitchen staff to help.

Kopinetz says when he approached Pat O’Connor and Dave Kalbach with the idea of going, they were all in.

O’Connor says he’s ready to give what he can to the effort.

“I’m ready for it. It’s nice to be part of it,” O’Connor says. “Life’s a lot of give and take and there’s too much take lately.”

The Planning Phase

What these Schuylkill County business owners are planning is no small feat and they’re using the time between now and their departure date to prepare for anything and everything.

This is more than just driving a truck of supplies to a location, turning around, and coming home. They’re planning to stay in a literal disaster zone that has zero accommodations, set up a functioning kitchen, and serving meals to a community of strangers … while also taking a truck of supplies donated by businesses and individuals from Schuylkill County.

On Wednesday, the group spent four hours going over plans. They actually brainstormed their ideas by writing them down on some ceiling tiles of all things.

And while Kopinetz says he was able to handle some of what he was originally planning, taking on the task of what that original idea has become required a lot of help. He thinks he’s got the best.

“I have some pretty bright people behind this,” he says.

Dunkel says of the effort in just its first day, “It’s mind-blowing how everything is coming together. It speaks volumes of the people of Schuylkill County.”

He has experience, too, in helping during disasters. Back in 2022, Dustin’s Adventureland took a truck of supplies to Mayfield, Kentucky, after that community was devastated by a hurricane. Small businesses in some parts of Michigan have an opportunity for grant funding that will help them pay for employee training.

How Can You Help?

You can absolutely help the people of Black Mountain, North Carolina, recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.

Supplies are very much needed and there are several drop-off locations established for collecting these donations.

Here is a list of the items most needed right now:

• Bottled water
• Hygiene products
• Diapers
• Baby wipes
• Disposable gloves
• Cleaning supplies
• Trash bags
• Paper towels
• Batteries
• Coolers
• Gatorade
• Canned goods
• Can openers
• Charcoal
• Matches
• Blankets
• Games
• Art supplies
• Backpacks
• Pet food
• Dog leashes
• Dog collars
• Pet beds
• Pet blankets
• Pet shampoo
• Pet brushes

Drop-off sites have been established to collect these donations:

• Dustin’s Adventureland’s 7th Annual Basket Auction at Amvets Post 180, 1300 Seneca St., Pottsville (On Oct. 5-6, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.)
• Aaron’s Sales and Lease, 2280 W. Market St., Pottsville (During business hours)
• Mechanicsville Game and Fish, 925 First St., Pottsville
• Landingville Hose, 1 Firehouse Rd., Landingville
• Dunkin’, Westwood location (Sat., Oct. 11, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.)
• Black Diamond Bar & Restaurant, 327 S. Lehigh Ave., Frackville (During business hours)
• The Beer Shack, Route 183, Schuylkill Haven (During business hours)
• Phoenix Physical Therapy, 870 Gordon Nagle Trail, Pottsville (During business hours)
• Minersville Police Station

Employees at the following locations will also be collecting donations:

• Schuylkill County Courthouse
• Lehigh Valley Dairy

Monetary donations are also welcome and being accepted through a GoFundMe drive. You can donate to that GoFundMe by following this link.

The deadline for donations is Oct. 11 at noon.

Feature Photo caption: Pat O’Connor, Brandon Kopinetz, and Dave Kalbach, from The Historic Washington Hotel in Minersville are headed to Black Mountain, North Carolina, with the goal of serving about 5,000 meals to those in need in that community ravaged by the effects of Hurricane Helene.