The vacation Mecca for many of us is the North Carolina mountains. All of that and the people there are affected in an unprecedented manner currently. Some alumni reside in those communities, small and large, Lloyd Joslin and Jeannie Britt Burleson come to mind, and Kaye Gattis spent a lot of time at a home there in previous years. Prayer helps, but the need is for supplies, contributions and volunteers. Carefully listen to and check out legitimate ways you can assist. Here's a short list of needs; water, non-perishable food items, five-gallon gas cans with fuel to help with transportation, paper products, diapers and formula. This list is from the Dream Project in Asheville. Give, and if you can, volunteer to go. It will take a lot of time and effort to rebuild that part of the state. Some have likened this to hurricane Katrina. It is NC's version, clearly, along with the damage in several other southeastern states. To that beautiful vacation haven that we have all enjoyed over the years, we owe no less than our best response now.