COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – In Swannanoa, North Carolina, Linda Jamison, a woman from Springs, served almost 1,000 plates to people who had been affected by Hurricane Helene and helpers. 11 News talked about Jamison before she started her 25-hour drive to the east coast. She bought a camper with her funds and stayed in it for about a week and a half.
Linda Jamison, Manager and Bartender at Purple Onion said, “I’d be cooking for about 150 to 200 people.” “And people in different towns and areas would invite me to come out and serve food. I think I served at least 150 plates overall.” Someone called and said, “Linda, could you come bring food out?” Today, no one is coming. Also, more than 100 people come here every day just to get a hot meal.
Based on what Linda told 11 News, she became well-known for her rice cakes and beanies. She’d figure out what to make with the things she had on hand and keep cooking.
“There are a lot of old and disabled people who can’t make it,” Jamison said. “We were packing up my food to go.” “She would bring the plates to different homes and text me, ‘Linda, 10 more plates!’ She would just keep going.”
People from the area drove Jamison around, so she could see how Helene affected things. When Linda went to a trailer park that had a big problem, she told 11 News about it.
Jamison yelled, “That whole trailer park area was washed out!” “There’s nothing there, and people were living there the night it happened. Seeing that area just cleared out broke my heart.”
Cindy told 11 News that before she left Colorado, she was going to leave her camper with someone who had lost their house. When she met Tony, her last wish to make things better came true.
Tony lives on land that has been in his family for 100 years and is in North Carolina. Three trees fell on Tony’s house, causing a lot of damage. The rain got inside and caused mold to grow, as well as walls and ceilings to cave in. When Tony met Jamison, he was living in a hotel and was told to sell his house and move. Linda gave him an idea that worked.
“He said, “Sir, what do you think about putting a camper on your land?” You can then go home and wait for FEMA to give you money for your house. Jamison talked about it. “He slept in the camper on Friday night.” I asked him this morning, “How was it to sleep in your camper, sir?” He said, “Wow, I thought, it’s great to be home.””
Linda said that food work is still needed in Swannanoa and other parts of North Carolina, especially now that winter is coming. She hopes that after she’s gone, someone else will pick up the work she left behind and carry it on.
Jamison said, “This is not a one-month project.” It’s been going on for a month now, and I know everyone jumped in to help with goods and volunteers, but people were already leaving while I was there. They need to always have a place to get food, so we need to keep giving it to them. It’s just hotel rooms for them, so there are no bars or water.
Linda, who is also the head of the Alan Searcy Foundation, is continuing to make a difference by holding a fundraiser at The Purple Onion this Sunday. The goal is to raise money for a community center for disabled and challenged people.
“In Colorado Springs, there isn’t a community center for the challenged and disabled,” Jamison said. “I’m going to make that happen.” At my fundraiser, which is the third one I’ve held, I hope to make $10,000. That’s what I want the builder to do.
What does she want the community center to have? A pool, a playground, a craft room, and a game room.
“There are a lot of cool groups that run day centers for disabled and challenged people, but they don’t have anywhere to take them,” Jamison said. “I’d like to see a community center where everyone can go for free and do all kinds of things.” All of the groups can go there every day instead of going to a bar or somewhere else to shoot pool or do anything else. That’s my goal.
There is already a pool and poker game, raffles, a dessert table, and silent auctions going on at Alan Searcy’s fundraiser. All day, bands will play at the restaurant.
Source: Colorado Woman Donates Camper to Hurricane Helene Survivor After Home Loss
