Donations continue to be flown from NJ to Helene victims

Nearly two dozen small planes have flown supplies from Lakewood Airport to the Carolinas since Friday with more to come.

Cody Coburn of Toms River, owner of Cody Construction, and his cousin Steve Adams, who is president of the New Jersey Aero Club, put the call out for donations and pilots to fly them to the western Carolinas. Roads have washed out making it hard to get trucks and people into the area.

At least five more flights were scheduled for Monday but there's enough donations for many more, Coburn told New Jersey 101.5 on Monday.

"We need as many other private planes as possible that can land at Lakewood Municipal if they're willing to take a trip down," Coburn said. Interested pilots can call Adams at 732-859-2671.

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Supplies being sent by truck

Other Shore businesses have stepped up to help without leaving New Jersey. Hecht Trailers and Crist Containers each donated a trailer for storage at the airport. There are also trucks and vans involved in transporting donations.

"Even if we get too much I have work vans. There's been people that I'm talking to that are willing to drive and they have trailers. And if they don't have trailers they have trucks," Coburn said.

Coburn says a mini hanger at the airport is filled with non-perishable food to be brought down.

Hurricane Milton which quickly became a Category 5 hurricane Monday in the Gulf of Mexico with top winds of 175 mph will not deter Coburn's efforts. He stands ready to fly supplies into Florida if need be after Milton makes landfall.

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