Robeson County Sheriff’s Office relief convoy heads to western North Carolina

ROBESON COUNTY, N.C. (WBTW) — A convoy full of supplies along with Robeson County Sheriff’s Office tree removal team members headed into western North Carolina on Saturday.

The joint effort — led by Sheriff Burnis Wilkins and his Hoke County colleague Sheriff Roderick Virgil — began with a prayer circle and words of thanks before the caravan departed into storm-hit areas.

“The partnership between the Robeson County and Hoke County Sheriff’s Offices, along with the contributions from residents across both counties and with the assistance of Mountaire Farms, showcases the power of community solidarity and collaboration,” Wilkins said on his Facebook page.

Photos posted to Wilkins’ page since the fundraiser launched on Tuesday showed deputies loading a tractor-trailer with bottles of water, canned goods and diapers.

“Remember, people from across the state, nation and world came to our aid during the hurricanes that wreaked havoc on our county,” Wilkins said. “We must do the same for western North Carolina.”

As of Saturday, FEMA has provided more than $26 million in assistance to more than 25,000 households. More than 700 staffers are on the ground, with more arriving daily. More than 1,200 urban search and rescue crews have been deployed.

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Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12 . See more of his work here .

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