HELPING OTHERS — Supplies of food, hygiene products, cleaning items and more will be collected Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the entrance to Franciscan Square on University Boulevard. Steubenville resident Rita Carapellotti and her family have collected items in the past to help those affected by hurricanes Katrina, Harvey, Ivan, Ian and, now, Helene. -- Contributed

STEUBENVILLE — The city of Asheville, N.C., encountered serious destruction when Hurricane Helene hit the southeastern part of the country last week. Some people lost a lot. Some, everything.

One local woman is stepping up to help victims who were affected by the Category 4 storm.

And she is asking for the help of the community to do it.

It first began with Hurricane Katrina.

Rita Carapellotti had been watching television news coverage when she saw a lone light burning from the inside of a thrift shop in New Orleans. Witnessing reports that showed the devastation left behind from Mother Nature and hearing the pleas for the world to help, she decided to reach out to that thrift store owner and put together a supply drive, sending items to that shop in Louisiana.

Carapellotti helped again during Hurricanes Harvey, Ian and Ida.

Today, her heart is going out to those struggling in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

The media coverage Carapellotti witnessed earlier this week has caused her to take action. Again.

The Steubenville resident, whose long record of community involvement includes serving on the Trinity Health System Foundation board, is organizing a donation collection that will be sent to Asheville on Monday.

Residents throughout the community are being asked to contribute a variety of much-needed items. The supplies will be accepted at the entrance of Franciscan Square on University Boulevard beginning Friday. Donations can be dropped off from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from noon to 7 p.m. Sunday.

“Everybody in the area here is just amazing,” Carapellotti said. “They are so kind and helpful. I truly appreciate it because I could never do any of this alone.”

Carapellotti, along with her children, Franco, Nicolette and Michael, will be accepting and helping with the donations throughout the weekend. The family is hoping to fill a large semi-truck with supplies donated by households and businesses throughout the Tri-State Area.

Driven by Carsten Mangels of Massapequa Park in Long Island, N.Y., the truck will be driven to Steubenville for the collection and then taken to the Baltimore Church in Asheville.

Carapellotti said she met Mangels years ago when he arrived to assist during Hurricane Katrina. Since then, the two have become friends.

“He always comes through and is always kind and readily available whenever we need him,” she said of Mangels

He never questions the call and is happy to deliver the supplies to wherever they need to go throughout the country.

“It is a huge semi-truck,” she added. “The last time we did this it was almost full and the times before that the truck was completely full, so, hopefully, the Tri-State Area will help us fill it once again.”

Carapellotti is Facebook friends with Janel Goff, whom she reached out to for an Asheville connection. She was looking for a place where the items could be taken. This is an important step in the process, she explained, saying you have to be able to locate a place that will accept the donation and be willing to distribute the supplies to those in need before you can begin a collection of items.

Seeking a church to send the donations to, Goff said she may know of a place and contacted Asheville resident Sharon Keefauver who told her of the Biltmore Church.

Either by coincidence or fate, the Biltmore Church was among the places Carapellotti had called the day prior, attempting to reach someone who would know of a location willing to receive and distribute the donations.

With the help of Catherine Poludniak at Trinity Health System, Carapellotti was able to help promote the drive.

“Without the help of our community, we could not do this,” Carapellotti emphasized.

Items being collected include non-perishable food items such as dry foods or canned foods. Pull-tab canned goods including soup, vegetables or meat will be accepted.

Breakfast foods including granola bars, dry cereal, Pop-Tarts and peanut butter can be donated.

Drinks and snack items which can be donated include 20-ounce or smaller fruit juices or sports drinks, individual packs of crackers or Rice Krispie Treats, individual fruit cups, applesauce, bottled water and gallons of water.

Personal hygiene products that can be donated include razors, travel-size shaving cream, shampoo, body wash, bar soap, toothbrushes, mouthwash, hand sanitizer, hand soap, deodorant and feminine products. Cleaning products are needed, including bleach, cleaning wipes, disinfectant, mops, buckets, plastic gloves, sponges, brooms and trash bags.

Paper products being sought include plates, napkins, bowls, cups, paper towels, toilet paper and pre-wrapped flatware.

Medical items which can be donated include non-prescription drugs, bandages, medical tape, ointments, disinfectant spray, eye drops, Chapstick, sunscreen and bug spray.

Baby items also are needed, including diapers, wipes, formula and non-glass containers of baby food.

All items must be new or unopened to be accepted. No clothes or bedding is being collected for this drive. All donations will be sent to Matt Herrington, missions and outreach pastor at the Baltimore Church, located at 35 Clayton Road in Asheville.

Everyone from Poludniak’s contacts to Carapellotti’s Facebook friends helped in locating a destination point, and local residents will be reaching out and giving toward those facing hardship in the south — and none of it would be remotely possible without everyone’s help, Carapellotti added.

“There is always a little bit of a coincidence when doing this,” she concluded.

In Houston, Hurricane Harvey’s coverage showed a man wading in the water. He had said the name of his church on the news and Carapellotti decided to continuously call that church until the man answered. After speaking with him, she began a drive here in Jefferson County and sent all that was raised to that church to help those affected in Texas.

“It always seems to work,” she concluded.