Harrison real estate agent Cameron Yockey wants to work some holiday magic at home and more than 400 miles away in communities ravaged by Hurricane Helene.
Through his company, Realty One, Yockey is spearheading a toy collection to provide a joyful Christmas for children in North Carolina towns that are still rebuilding eight weeks after the late-September devastation.
Families in western North Carolina towns, including Swannanoa, Black Mountain and Asheville, are living in tents and shelters after their homes and roads were wiped out by flood waters, according to CBS News.
“People still don’t know how to feel,” said Yockey, of Murrysville.
“We just want to collect as much as we can, and we will personally be going down to hand out the toys.”
The deadline to donate is Dec. 14.
Collections are being accepted at Realty One, 1627 Freeport Road, Harrison; Horizon Wash Spa, 1132 Brackenridge Ave., Brackenridge; Realty One, 3731 William Penn Highway, Murrysville; and Realty One, 9100 Big Spring Drive, Cranberry.
At the same time, Yockey and his partner, Brianna Thorpe, along with co-worker Christy Saleone are spearheading an Angel Tree, where people can donate clothes, toys and other gifts for local families.
“The amount of people that are bringing stuff in is insane,” Saleone said. “It makes my heart warm. It’s great to see the community come together for this.”
This isn’t the trio’s first foray into playing Santa.
Yockey and others have made two 470-mile trips since October to deliver trucks full of water, tools, toiletries and shelf-stable food to rural Buncombe County in North Carolina.
A single post to Facebook seeking donations was enough to fill a large van with pet food and a 26-foot box truck with other items. Several people volunteered to make the drive and distribute items in October and November.
“We also helped with remediation work, helping with water damage at local businesses,” said Yockey, a licensed general contractor.
“These people are going through a lot. Most of the roads are still impassable.”
Ruth Holbert, coordinator for Toys for Tots in western North Carolina said she appreciates the efforts of everyone working to bring cheer to families.
The hurricane has caused the number of children served by her organization to climb 344% — from about 4,500 to 20,000.
“We want to make sure that every child devastated by this storm has a little something for Christmas,” Holbert said.
The group is seeking donations for children ages 1 to 13 in Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, Polk, Transylvania and Yancey counties.
Holbert said the best way to help from afar is to visit the website at wnctft-nc.toysfortots.org and download the QR code to make a monetary donation.
“This will save shipping costs, and I can get the toys at a better price,” she said.
In Harrison, the Realty One office already is brimming with Barbies, trucks and puzzles, thanks to the generosity of residents, Saleone said.
Anyone who wants to help a local family can view the Angel Tree list on Yockey’s Facebook.
“Anyone can claim a list and drop if off at our office, and we’ll even wrap it for them,” Saleone said.
“We’re trying to help on both ends as much as we can.”