SALISBURY — When Jatana Richardson saw the destruction wrought in western North Carolina by Hurricane Helene, she knew she had to do something.

Richardson is 86 and she lives at Autumn Care of Salisbury but she was determined to try and make a difference.

“I was laying in the bed thinking what can I do to help,” Richardson said. “I got the idea, oh, if I can just raise $20.”

So Richardson started soliciting contributions from her fellow residents.

“I knew there were a lot of good people and I just asked for a dollar,” she said. “I figured that people could afford that.”

Richardson, who is from Kannapolis, has been an active fundraiser for her church, Trinity Methodist, in the past, so she knows a thing or two about drumming up donations.

“Ninety-nine percent, I went up to each one of them and I said, I am going to ask for a dollar donation. If you can do that, it’s for the people in the mountain that has been destroyed the hurricane. I said if you would like to help I would appreciate it. They all said yes. I want to help,” she said. “Some gave two dollars and some gave to three dollars. Some gave their quarters that they won playing bingo.”

In no time at all, Richardson’s collection efforts surpassed her initial goal.

“I’m up to $180,” she said.

A nurse at Autumn Care of Salisbury is affiliated with Samaritan’s Purse and was heading up into the devastated region of the state on Friday. Thanks to Richardson and her fellow Autumn Care residents she was going with a few more dollars to help those people in need.