Arkansan with Red Cross in Florida helping Hurricane Ian victims
By Phil Reed
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ALEXANDER, Arkansas (KHBS) — Willie Hopkins, of Alexander, got to Florida on Sunday. It’s calm where he’s at in Interlachen, but he’s busy helping people who are preparing for things to possibly get bad there on Thursday.
“They just didn’t want to get caught with trees falling down on their homes or anything like that,” Hopkins said. “High floodwater and they couldn’t get out.“
Willie Hopkins with the Red Cross helped more than a dozen people of all ages who came to the evacuation shelter at an elementary school in Interlachen.
“Assisting clients with unloading the stuff,” he said. “And bringing it in and giving them water and stuff like that.”
The weather was calmer there Wednesday than other parts of the state.
“Today, now the wind has picked up to about 10 to 15 miles per hour here and the rain started today,” he said. “And so they expecting anywhere from five to six inches of rain in the next two to three days here”
Hopkins will stick around and help people looking for recovery shelters as the storm passes. He’s a retired national guard member, who is still finding ways to help people in need.
“I signed up because I enjoy working with people and helping others,” he said. “And to see the look on people’s faces, and all of the appreciation and gratitude that they give you from assisting them and helping them out in every way.”
Hopkins is scheduled to stay there until Oct. 8, but will stay later if needed.
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