Column: Never say never – covering a hurricane

(Disclaimer: Columns often contain opinion)

Last week was National Newspaper Week, and I was supposed to be sharing graphics and info on the importance of newspapers from Oct. 6-12.

For the past two weeks, I’ve been trying to show it instead.

I never thought I’d cover a hurricane. I mean, Augusta is three-ish hours from the closest beach, and people come here to evacuate.

But never say never.

 The experience reminded me of a trip I made in January 2020.

It was my first (but hopefully not my last) trip to London to keep a promise I’d made to my best friend, who died in August 2019. There were a lot of things I wanted to see and do there, but only one thing I felt compelled to do – visit a church called St. Bride’s, also known as the “spiritual home of journalists.” During World War II, it was bombed, but the newspapers along Fleet Street banded together to have it rebuilt.

Call it a pilgrimage of sorts.

It gets dark really early in London in January. It was already dark by 4:30 p.m. when my friend, Julie Jones, and I slipped inside. I was drawn to a candlelit altar with multiple photographs – a tribute to slain, imprisoned or missing journalists.

I was moved to tears for these men and women who put their lives on the line, but I thought – “I’m not that devoted to this profession to do that.”

By the same token, I have seen other journalists head into hurricanes, and I’ve watched as the rain beat upon their raincoats and the wind threatened to sweep them away as they told the stories.

And I thought – “Nope, I’ll never do that either.”

But on Sept. 27 when Helene landed at my doorstep. I didn’t put myself in harm’s way; instead, harm’s way came to my neighbors, family, friends and community.

Read more: News You Can Use: first look at Hurricane Helene damage on Sept. 28

Many of the people I knew suffered tremendous property loss or damage, but the common sentiment among them all was they were grateful to be alive and everything else could be replaced.

I knew Augusta Good News had to play whatever my small part was to get out information or to write about the beauty amidst the ashes. I wrestled with the idea because the destruction I saw was not good news. But at my core, I’m still a reporter.

Read more: The Byllesby Center ramps up after Helene

During this time, my community’s story needed to be told, and my neighbors needed information.  And I had a platform to help. In addition, I asked out-of-town friends to share these stories with others.

These past two weeks, I’ve seen people pull up their bootstraps and get things done. I’ve met the quiet, unsung heroes who’ve cleared roadways and driveways, provided food, water and other essentials long before aid arrived and when they had needs of their own.

I’ve met line workers who were far from home and worked until the slightest sliver of sunlight remained in the sky to get the power back on. I’ve met the members of the National Guard who distributed water and MREs and cleared roadways. I’ve seen local people go above and beyond.

I’ve seen the joy of two weddings for brides who didn’t think they’d make it to the altar. One of those brides is a Georgia Power customer service representative who spent the week up to her wedding driving back and forth from her flood damaged home in Thomson to Atlanta to assist the thousands of people without power.

Read more: Impromptu cookout feeds people affected by Helene

I’ve tried to keep you all updated through social media about food, water and ice giveaways, curfews, openings/closings. We’ve done a lot of Facebook posts simply to share information – news you can use even if it’s not “good news.”

I’m thankful to so many people who’ve helped me.

Thank you to the team at Wier/Stewart for their “displaced worker camp” the week I had no electricity and virtually no cell service at my house and to Kristine Yonke for my souvenir mug to remember the experience. I couldn’t have done as much as I got done to share the stories of other people’s kindness without the use of your electricity and WiFi.

Read More: After ‘busy’ week, Georgia Power customer service rep says “I do”

I’m thankful for Nicole Williams at The Atlanta Journal Constitution who picked up some of the stories at Augusta Good News and shared them in Atlanta for others to read about and see just what was taking place here.  

I’m thankful to Rickey Oliver of the Walmart Disaster Cooking Team who while I was covering their feeding event, looked at me with genuine compassion and asked me if I was o.k. when I didn’t know how to answer that.

Read More: Walmart provides meals, essentials on Oct. 1-2

 I’m thankful to live in this amazing community. Augusta Strong.

So, happy Newspaper Week, even if I’m late.

Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years and is a Georgia Press Association award winner. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.