WILLIAMSTON, S.C. – With the help of volunteers and contributions from all around the country, one Upstate man helped deliver hundreds of sheds to Hurricane Helene victims in western North Carolina.
Sam Byler resides in Williamston, South Carolina.
Byler stated that when he traveled to western North Carolina following the storm, those memories weighed heavily on his mind.
“When people say that videos and pictures do not do it justice, that’s the truth,” he stated.
Byler has been involved in the shed industry for many years. He stated that after his trip to North Carolina, he wanted to do something to help.
“I have never seen anything like this,” Byler remarked. “We are 90 days past and there is still a lot of work that needs to be done.”
Byler took to Facebook, declaring his want to gift 100 sheds to Helene victims.
“I posted that I wanted to accomplish this. This is how I plan to do it. To promote awareness about suicide and despair, the shed industry simply took it over. “I believe we received 50 shed donations within 24 hours,” Byler recalled. “It literally started without a plan which my friends will tell you, that’s the way most of my life goes.”
Months later, Byler has been able to distribute over 200 sheds and counting. The sheds were donated to Byler, who then helped deliver them to individuals in need.
“Donated by manufacturers, dealers, haulers all over the U.S. Maine, Michigan, to Texas and every state in between.” Byler added. “We put house doors in instead of shed doors, we put good windows in, instead of shed windows, and insulate them and put a nice floor in them, panel the walls.”
As the evenings become colder, Byler says the work he’s doing remains at the forefront of his mind.
“I have two families right now that are living in automobiles and have children. I can’t sleep at night; I wake up around 2 a.m. and think, “I need to get them in a shed.” So I put those two in a shed and get two more the next day, so there are two more,” Byler explained. “If what I do inspires a hundred other people to do something, then do it. That’s the key message I want to get across: we can all assist.”