It only took ten minutes, but the gesture was more meaningful than just a photo opportunity.
On a hot and humid Tuesday morning, several members of the North Carolina football team spent time loading supplies into an equipment truck as part of relief efforts for those affected by Hurricane Florence.
“Obviously we were very blessed to have not been hit as hard as a lot of the state,” said senior tight end Brandon Fritts, speaking on behalf of the team. “We wanted just to do anything we could to help and give back to the rest of the state.”
Both Fritts and head coach Larry Fedora pointed out the advantages of being located in Chapel Hill have on being able to assist in relief efforts.
“We’re pretty blessed with what’s happened with the storm,” Fedora said. “We’ve got a lot of people that are suffering in the state and in the Carolinas all together, and so the team wanted to do something — anything we could — to help out the people that are hurting right now.”
The team's effort started after North Carolina alumnus and former player Kevin Reddick reached out and asked if there was anything the team could do to help his hometown of New Bern, N.C.
The players didn’t have much. They had their per diem — the $15 student athletes are given for food each day — that each player on the team donated to Reddick so he could buy supplies for his community. They also had a truck ... a really big truck.
“As we start to see all the devastation, it just became apparent to all of us we should try and do something to help,” said Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham. “We have an equipment truck, and Larry was thinking, ‘What are the ways football can get involved?’ And so the truck was the first thing we thought of. It was the biggest thing we had.”
Tuesday was the first day of a weeklong effort to gather supplies, with plans to drive the loaded truck to Lumberton, N.C. on Saturday. The drive placed an emphasis on collecting bottled water, diapers, personal hygiene and sanitary products and non-perishable foods.
