This Gastonia school was battling the Storm Friday night while helping aid Helene victims in Buncombe County

GASTONIA, N.C. ( QUEEN CITY NEWS ) — Burgers sold during Ashbrook High School’s football game against Stuart Cramer Friday night are going to make a difference for Helene victims.

Parents with the Ashbrook Athletic Booster Club will donate a portion of their concession stand and apparel sales to Charles D. Owen High School in the Swannanoa Valley.

“There are 27 students who do not have homes in high school,” said Booster Club official Sarah Watkins. “All the students are safe. And so for me, it was one way that I could make a connection and fill a need.”

She has a special connection to the Buncombe County school. She was a student-athlete at Owen High, graduating in 1995.

“So I know now as a parent how hard the boosters work and to not be able to gather for a football game or a soccer game or any kind of athletic events, I know is taking money out of their pockets,” Watkins said. “And there’s still going to be bills that need to be paid.”

Several western North Carolina communities are facing months of recovery from the deadly storm. As of Friday, Oct. 11, North Carolina officials say Helene killed 93 people in the state, 42 from Buncombe County.

Booster Vice President Bart Davis says club members wanted to help after seeing the destruction. They sell about 400 burgers plus another 100 hotdogs and chicken tenders each game.

They know the community will chip in to help Owen High. Fittingly, the Greenwave was battling the Storm on Friday.

“This is the first time that we’ve ever done a fundraiser for the booster club for another school,” Davis said. “So we decided to make this part of FCA, part of homecoming. We decided to make this one big event for everybody.”

Watkins says boosters will determine how long to continue fundraising after Friday night’s game. She says they would love to reach out to another affected school in that area if they can.

“Buncombe County schools have the hashtag “ Together We Rise,’” Watkins said . “Ashbrook High School is ‘ Rise Tide .’ And so, I just thought that was a really cool way to combine all that together. It just really gives me goosebumps to see all the connections coming together.”

If you would like to donate, head to their Facebook page here .

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