Photo By Tech. Sgt. Juan Paz | Jimmy Hight, President of the National Guard Association-Oklahoma, along with...... read more read more
Subscribe
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA- In the wake of Helene’s impact on Western North Carolina, compassion swept across the country. Among the most heartfelt acts of support came from Cudd Pressure Control, a company known for its strength in the oil and gas industry but now standing out for its strength of heart.
From its 26 yards nationwide, Cudd Pressure Control and Thru Tubing Solutions rallied to collect donations for those left reeling from the disaster.
For Jim McCormick, Vice President of Cudd Pressure Control and Thru Tubing Solutions in Oklahoma, the decision to help was immediate. In a conversation with Jimmy Hight, the company’s fleet manager and President of the National Guard Association of Oklahoma, McCormick made the company’s mission clear: “We’re going to send some goods out there. We’re going to make a difference.” And they did.
When asked why they felt compelled to help despite Oklahoma’s distance from North Carolina, Hight’s response was deeply human. “We don’t have ties in North Carolina. Our closest yard is in Georgia,” said Hight. “But with tornadoes, fires, and floods, we know what it’s like to lose everything. We just wanted to give back.”
These words reflect a bond between those who have experienced loss. Oklahoma has faced its share of devastation—tornadoes ripping through towns, wildfires consuming homes, and floods washing away lives. That shared suffering is what fueled the team at Cudd Pressure Control to act. While hundreds of miles separated them from North Carolina, the bond of shared humanity was far stronger than the distance.
Hight contacted Christine Quante, North Carolina National Guard Association Executive Director, to offer help. “After I got over the Shock,” said Quante, “I asked how he would get it here. I knew there were transportation and logistics issues with travel and the roads here. Jimmy just said ‘We will get it there.’”
The response was extraordinary. Ten days after McCormick emailed all 26 locations with what they wanted to achieve, the company gathered more than 80 pallets of crucial supplies, totaling over 100,000 pounds. The donations included bottled water, work gloves, warm-weather clothing, cleaning supplies, outdoor cooking tools, canned goods, and tarps. Carefully chosen to meet the immediate needs of those who lost so much, these items were loaded onto five flatbeds and box trailers, making the journey from Oklahoma to Charlotte, North Carolina.
The trip wasn’t without its challenges. With Interstate 40 closed in certain areas due to damage from Helene, the convoy had to detour south, through Alabama and Georgia, adding a half-day to their journey. Still, Hight, reflecting on the effort, said with a smile, “It was worth every mile.”
When they arrived in Charlotte, Brigadier General Cristina Moore, NCNG Assistant Adjutant General - Sustainment, along with Brigadier General (Ret.) Allan R. Cecil, NC National Guard Association Tarheel Minuteman Foundation Chair, and CSM (Ret.) James McKee, president of the NC National Guard Association, greeted them with smiles and gratitude, fully aware of the impact these supplies would have on the people of Western North Carolina. As a sign of gratitude, McKee also presented each driver with a coin from the NC National Guard Association.
This act of kindness illustrates the enduring power of community, no matter how far it stretches. It wasn’t just about delivering supplies—it was about delivering hope. It was about one community, familiar with disaster, reaching across state lines to uplift another in its darkest hour.
As the trucks rolled into North Carolina, they carried more than supplies. They carried the compassion and empathy of everyone who packed those pallets, donated goods and gave willingly. In a world that can feel divided by distance or circumstance, Cudd Pressure Control and Thru Tubing Solutions’ actions remind us how united we are when facing hardship, no matter the miles between us.
| Date Taken: | 10.16.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.22.2024 14:50 |
| Story ID: | 483420 |
| Location: | NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 201 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Cudd Pressure Control, Thru Tubing Solutions and Oklahoma National Guard Association Deliver Vital Supplies to NC National Guard for Helene Relief, by TSgt Juan Paz, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
