O'FALLON, Missouri — It's been five days now since Hurricane Milton made landfall devastating the South. Businesses in the St. Louis area want to show some compassion to those who survived Hurricane Helene, which hit just two weeks earlier.
They're calling on the metropolitan area to get behind them as they make the 11-hour trek to Georgia. Inside two O'Fallon Missouri buildings, you'll see coaches building young people to excel, in basketball and boxing.
Now Resilient Boxing and 3D Vision Basketball are joining forces for a different mission.
"St. Louis we need your help," said Emil Hector of Resilient Boxing.
The companies are loading up a semi-truck donated by Porter Transit in O'Fallon to send supplies to the storm-ravaged town of Augusta, Georgia.
"Disinfectant wipes, we've got diapers here, we've got toiletries. All of these bags have brand new clothing in there," Hector said while sorting through some of the donations they've received.
People are donating supplies of all sorts after learning of the mission. Donations can include paper towels, toilet paper, trash bags, feminine products, baby and pet food, you name it.
"They really need chainsaws down there because some people can't even get out of their house because they're blocked in by trees," Hector said.
He would know. He and O'Fallon businessman Brock Travis just got back from Georgia, helping people right after Hurricane Helene hit.
"My heart just ached for them," said Brock Travis of Brock's Tree Service.
"It looked like someone took trees and just cut all these houses in half," Hector recalled.
It's why they knew they had to go back. They're doing it without hesitation.
"It takes money. It takes taking off work. It takes all that. This is something that, it's a mission trip in our own country," Travis said.
The companies are accepting donations of all sorts, with the goal of filling the truck so there isn't any room left.
"I think our country needs more love and if it takes a hurricane to bring people together then so be it," Hector said.
You can drop off supplies every day this week through Friday at these locations:
Gateway Christian Church (9a-6p)
1951 Des Peres Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63131
Resilient Boxing / 3D (3p-9p)
51 Elaine Dr.
O'Fallon, MO 63366