By Ron Fitzwater

The High Country-based, international relief organization Samaritan’s Purse held an official ribbon cutting and open house at its new North American Disaster Relief Headquarters in North Wilkesboro, Thursday, Feb. 26. The organization has been running disaster relief operations out of the building since last summer.

Some local residents will know the property, located at 411 Elkin Highway, as the old Coca-Cola bottling plant. But now, the building produces something that brings more than smiles, help for those who need it most, when they need it most.

Samaritan’s Purse maintains four Disaster Relief Units at the new facility in North Wilkesboro. The units serve as mobile command centers for operations in the United States. Photo By Ron Fitzwater

Since 1998, the North American Disaster Relief Team has answered the call when hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms and fires have hit 69 separate locations across the country, responding with an emphasis on assisting those most in need such as the elderly, disabled, uninsured and economically disadvantaged.

Samaritan’s Purse, which has long been based in Boone, is an international Christian relief organization that provides immediate, “no-red-tape” assistance to meet the physical and spiritual needs of people left in the wake of a natural disaster with special emphasis on the people located in hard to reach areas where few relief organizations are working.

Samaritan’s Purse has conducted operations in more than 100 countries providing aid to victims of war, disease, disaster, poverty, famine and persecution.

But the reason for celebration on Thursday was to open, the North Wilkesboro headquarters building to the community and celebrate the hard work it had taken to make the facility come together.

Calling the donation of the building to the organization “a tremendous gift,” Samaritan’s Purse president and evangelist, Franklin Graham, recognized chief executive officer of Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated in Charlotte, Frank Harrison, for the donation.

“I noticed that the building was sitting empty, so I called Frank Harrison and asked ‘Frank, what are you going to do with that building?’ and he asked ‘do you want it? I’ll give it to you.’”

Harrison is a member of the board of directors for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and a staunch supporter of Samaritan’s Purse.

The new headquarters is now complete with office furnishings donated from Bank of America, is staffed by both employed and volunteer workers and is fully stocked with materials and equipment needed to respond to almost any disaster.

As recently as two weeks ago, assistance was sent for the severe food shortage among the indigenous peoples in Alaska. During his address to the more than 200 supporters and workers at the ceremony, Graham talked about the Alaskan mission.

“Last Friday, Governor [Sarah] Palin and I went throughout Western Alaska to distribute food to a number of villages there, it was coordinated and managed right here out of North Wilkesboro.

“Last week in the Yukon, we went to an Eskimo village where the people were hungry. The leader of the tribal counsel came and held the [relief supply] package in his hands and with tears in his eyes said, ‘if I had to go to a store and buy this, it would cost me $400. Thank you for coming.’

“We respond out of this building to disasters in North America. For us to be able to be a part of this community, we feel blessed to have this facility based right here in Wilkes County.”

As for his part in the donation of the building, Harrison explained that making the call to donate the property was “an easy decision. Samaritan’s Purse has the strongest and most effective ministry I know of anywhere. They are helping people, and doing it in Christ’s name. Having the opportunity to give this building to the organization was a pleasure to me. I just love what Samaritan’s Purse does all over the world,” he said.

Luther Harrison, Director of North American Projects for Samaritan’s Purse, said the special day was the end of nearly a year’s work to get the facility ready to go.

“We had to get all of our materials and equipment here; we have about 100 pieces of equipment that we take out for natural disasters in the United States. Whatever the case is, we want to get out there and meet people wherever they are and help them through whatever struggle they are going through and help them get back on their feet,” he said.

On display for the public during the open house were two of the Disaster Relief Units, styled much like NASCAR team trailers and recently back from missions in the Gulf Coast.

Of important note, according to Harrison, the trailers have all been donated by people who believe in what the program is doing.

“There is one trailer kept at our Canada location and four here with 22 team members ready to respond. Some of the trailers just got in from Hurricane Ike down in Texas and Hurricane Gustav in Louisiana. In fact, a couple of weeks ago was the first time all four of the trailers based here have been in the same parking lot at the same time. They are always gone and you know that is the story of the Samaritan; always traveling down the road looking for people who are in our path and looking for help.

“Our main goal is no-strings-attached and no-red-tape. When you see someone in need, you don’t make them fill out a triplicate application asking ‘what’s your financial status and religious or political affiliation?’ No, you just say ‘there is a person in need, take care of them,” Harrison said.

For more information about Samaritan’s Purse or to volunteer visit www.samaritanspurse.org or call (828) 262-1980.