NSU Student Heads To South Carolina To Aide Disaster Relief

Disaster relief organizations from across Oklahoma are either already in the Carolinas or on their way to help with the recovery.

One American Red Cross volunteer got the call last night and flew out Friday. Madison Shoemaker has only been volunteering with the Red Cross for a few months, but today, she's taking a break from college classes and jetting off to the east coast to help with hurricane relief efforts.

Shoemaker says she planned on going to class at NSU on Friday. But when she got the call from the Red Cross at 8 o'clock last night, she dropped everything and booked a flight.

"I think I'm very well-prepared, but I don't think anyone can be prepared, going into a disaster zone like I'm about to go into," said Shoemaker.

Shoemaker is one of about 2,000 Red Cross volunteers heading cross-country to help families in need.

"Supporting the families, making sure this isn't one of the worst times of their lives, even though it is," said Shoemaker.

The Red Cross sheltered 20,000 people looking for refuge from the storm on Thursday night alone. Shoemaker will be stationed at an evacuation center once she gets to South Carolina.

"I think that's important to let them know that their whole world hasn't ended. We'll be there to support them throughout the entire process," said Shoemaker.

Shoemaker will be gone for two whole weeks but says her journey won't stop there. She says she plans on going back to the east coast to continue helping once her semester's over.