I don't even know where to start with my note today. Like many of you, I've been watching in horror the events happening to the victims of Hurricane Helene.  As an adopted North Carolinian, seeing some of my favorite places destroyed is heartbreaking.

But worse than that is seeing the suffering of my fellow Americans. FEMA only arrived and began setting up on Friday. And if that wasn't insulting enough, FEMA and other organizations are trying to take command of relief efforts, and in some cases, they're getting in the way of people being rescued or helped.

I've never been more proud of my Appalachian brothers and sisters as I am after this horrible event. They're not letting anything get in the way of helping their neighbors. The roads are impassible in many cases, leaving folks stranded in their homes without power or fresh water. And that's if their homes are still standing. So many homes are not, washed away by mud, rain, and high winds.

Despite the lack of roads, volunteers are still getting there. They're hiking in with supplies, and civilians who own helicopters and planes are air-dropping supplies and performing rescues. Nurses are setting off on horseback to help those in need of medical care. A man has been going up and down these mountains for days with a team of mules carrying essential supplies. ATV users are also getting across some of the otherwise impassable roads to deliver supplies.

I can hardly believe that the government is sending $128 million to "rebuild Lebanon" while our own people are suffering, dying, starving, and without a roof over their heads. The estimated time for everyone to have power back is FOUR MONTHS. I'm disgusted by this, and I'm disgusted by anyone who is trying to rein in civilians who are getting things done.

Elon Musk should be praised for dispatching his own engineers with Starlink set-ups to get communications up and running for people in remote areas. Dolly Parton has donated millions of dollars. Donald Trump has set up a fundraiser that is close to $7 million dollars in donations for these people, and he and his daughter were on the ground, bringing attention to the plight of the people who've lost everything.

It has become clear to me that not only does our government not care - they actively hate us.

I don't think the folks of FEMA have really encountered anyone like the people of Appalachia. They are being kind by ignoring the "officials" and going about their business of helping their neighbors, but I know that if officials push too far, these people WILL push back.

We only have a fraction of the story so far because of the lack of power, cell signal, and internet over there. I'm sure in the weeks to come, we'll see the video evidence that everyone is demanding. But for now, nobody's priority should be fighting with the government. Our focus should be helping in any way possible to care for our own.

I recommend donating directly to churches (FEMA can't "take control" of donations there) and the charity, Samaritan's Purse. Please know that a lot of the money donated to the American Red Cross doesn't go to help those in need - it goes to pay high salaries.

If any of you who are in hard-hit areas are reading this, please know that you are NOT forgotten, and we won't let you be forgotten. So many people are actively helping and praying for you all.

This is the kind of support for each other that our country was built on and what will keep us strong in the future.

We need to remember this when we go to the polls in November. It's been clear who has helped and who has not.