Patriots Helping Aerial Recovery & Save Our Allies
Goal:
USD $100,000
Raised:
USD $106,200
Campaign funds will be received by Official Patriot Gear
Patriots Helping Aerial Recovery & Save Our Allies
It’s time to show the real reason we all consider ourselves patriots. It’s times like these that we stand up and help. Regardless of race, religion, political beliefs or whatever, we stand up for our fellow Americans because that is what patriots do.
Right now, things are incredibly heavy. The recent hurricane has completely destroyed Western North Carolina, leaving families stranded and towns and neighborhoods unrecognizable. There’s so much chaos, and now more than ever, it’s time for us to step up and do our part. This is when we always shine—when we come together, even in the hardest times, to lift each other up.
Aerial Recovery is on the ground, doing everything they can to help. Their team of Veterans and First Responders is conducting helicopter rescues, reconnaissance, welfare checks, aid distribution, and debris clearance across multiple cities impacted by the storm. These guys are in the thick of it, saving lives and making sure no one is left behind.
But they need our help.
Every helicopter mission costs around $20,000 a day in fuel, and right now, a lack of communication is costing them valuable time, fuel, and resources. That’s why we’re stepping up to raise $6,000 to help them get 4 Starlink units and 7 ICAM radios—equipment that will improve communication and boost their efficiency by 20-30%. That means more lives saved, faster.
Here’s where you come in:
At Official Patriot Gear, our mission has always been to help others in their time of need. This is a chance for all of us to make a real difference, and we’re asking for your help to do it. As a company, we’ve already donated half of the funds needed to get this started—$3,000—but we can’t get across the finish line without you.
Every dollar you donate will go directly to Aerial Recovery’s rescue efforts in Western North Carolina. We’ll be able to show you exactly where your money is going and how it’s helping people. This isn’t just a donation—it’s a real chance to change lives, to step up when our country needs us most.
We know times are tough, but when Americans come together, we can do incredible things. This is our moment to shine, and we’re asking for all the help we can get. Please consider joining us and supporting Aerial Recovery as they work to save lives, one mission at a time.
In addition if we raise this amount quickly, we will raise the bar and go for as much as we can so that everyone who wants to help has an opportunity to do so.
Thank you and God Bless you all. 🇺🇸
**Update**
Wow, guys. This is truly incredible, I can't thank you enough for allowing me to be part of this community. Thanks to your extremely generous support, we have far surpassed our original goal, and we are proud to announce that we will be able to help another organization and make an even bigger impact and help more people.
Save Our Allies is a 501(c)(3) with a mission to rescue and aid Americans and Allies in war-torn environments and resettle them in environments free of tyranny and terror. Since the recovery efforts began following hurricane Helene, they have had personnel on the ground, and are working directly with both government and NGO aid teams.
Save Our Allies is leading relief efforts by deploying teams on the ground for evacuation and delivering essential supplies to those in need.
Their immediate needs are:
1. Air assets
2. Diapers, formula, water
3. Comms equipment
4. Flashlights, lanterns, emergency lights
5. Blankets and ponchos
Later, they will need more basics - clothes, furniture, etc.
Because of your support, we will be able to help meet these needs in a big way. Thank you for continuing to show up in such a big way so that we can help our fellow Americans.
Recent Donations
Thank you!
Thank you for giving us all a way to help!
Thank you for all you are doing! Continuing to lift everyone up in prayer.
Thank you for helping the victims of this terrible hurricane 🙏
Praying for you all
Godspeed!
God Bless you
Praying for everyone
God bless the people effected by this storm and God bless those helping to pick up the pieces.
Thank you for your selfless act! Keeping the America spirit alive.
Love and Prayers
Thank you for doing what you’re doing. May God bless all of you working so tirelessly and all the people living through this tragedy.
Thank you all for allowing us to bring Hope light & love to our Neighbors.
Updates
Update #1 - Dated Oct 22
November 4th, 2024
As most of you know (but some may not), we raised over $100K in a little less than five days. Then, I, along with some of our executive team, went down to Western North Carolina to distribute those funds to organizations actively supporting people daily, as well as directly to those affected by Hurricane Helene. Here’s where that money went and what we were able to accomplish with all of the amazing support from those who donated. (Link to IG video)
First, we were able to donate $45,000 to Aerial Recovery Group, who have been boots on the ground every single day since the hurricane hit. This team has done everything from rescuing victims of the storm and floods to delivering essential supplies, clearing trees and debris, and even building land bridges in areas where floods completely destroyed infrastructure. The $45,000 specifically funded improved communications through Starlinks and I-comm radios. The remainder went towards purchasing ATVs and UTVs, enabling them to reach hard-to-access areas for rescue operations and delivering necessary supplies. (Photo)
Second, we donated $10,000 to Save Our Allies, which was used for a fully catered dinner for first responders, volunteers, and operators, who had been covering food costs out of pocket. This also helped provide cold-weather tents and additional supplies for families facing winter conditions in towns higher up in the mountains. (Link to IG video)
Third, we donated $15,000 to the Whitson family to help them rebuild their business, "O.C. Whitson General Store," in Green Mountain, NC. They lost everything, and by helping them rebuild, they can continue fueling the town’s overall recovery. We also donated an additional $2,500 to their GoFundMe, helping them support themselves during the rebuilding process. (Link to IG video)
Fourth, we donated $20,000 to Nita, Delayne, and Sheena to help them rebuild their 44-year-old family business, “Sheena’s,” a beloved restaurant in Barnardsville, NC, similar to the general store in Green Mountain. Additionally, we set up a GiveSendGo fundraiser, raising an additional $20,000+ toward their rebuild. (Link to IG video)
Fifth, we donated $5,000 to Kalyn Cogdill of Big Ivy, NC, who stepped up to lead her entire community through this tragedy. That $5,000 will go towards helping her pay rent on her home for herself and her three boys, allowing her to continue serving the community selflessly. (Link to IG video)
Sixth, we donated $5,000 to a local dairy farmer in Weaverville—the only one left—who lost everything. This money went toward a 37 KW diesel generator to help him get his farm back up and running. (Link to IG video)
Seventh, we donated $1,500 to local residents in Weaverville for groceries. (Link to IG video)
My main goals for this trip were, first, to ensure we showed donors the immediate, direct impact their generous contributions had and, second, to help these people in the most meaningful way possible. I believe we accomplished both. Every single penny (and then some) was accounted for before my plane took off from Asheville last Tuesday. While we can’t help everyone, I believe we helped those we could in ways that will significantly impact their ability to rebuild their lives.
It was truly an honor to be part of this mission, and it was a life-changing experience for me personally. I want to keep serving these people and doing all that I can to help, but I can’t do it without your support, and we can’t let them be forgotten in the "news cycle."
With that said, I also went back a week later and I’m hoping to raise enough for cold-weather tents for displaced families still in need and funds to help families who have lost their businesses entirely. If you can’t donate, please consider sharing on social media or with anyone who might be willing to help. The goal is another $50K.
I have faith that with the support of this incredible community of Patriots, we can reach this goal, and I promise to do as I did last time—account for every penny spent and show you the immediate and direct impact of your donations. You can use the link below to donate and share.
God bless you all, and thank you so much for your support. We could not do this without you. I could not do this without you.
– Ian Wendt
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