JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Would you consider using your work vacation time to travel out-of-state just to pick up bags upon bags of yard debris and deliver storm recovery supplies? That's what a group of out-of-towners has been doing this week -- moving from house to house in a Northside neighborhood.
They traveled far from New Jersey: A crew of volunteer firefighters and cops volunteered to help strangers in Jacksonville recover from Hurricane Irma.
"My lieutenant at work was friends with some of the Jacksonville police from training," volunteer Dave Cavaliere said. "He keeps in touch with them, called them and said, 'Do you need some help,' because he knew we had a tractor-trailer full of supplies. He said, 'Yeah, you come on down, and we got a connection down here and a drop-off point.'"
So along with a tractor-trailer full of things like cleaning supplies, clothes and canned food, the group also used their vacation time to hand-deliver it and lend a hand alongside local police, also volunteering their time.
Their hard work is much appreciated by shocked Jacksonville resident Charles Shinholser.
"Makes you feel good to know that other people care," Shinholser said. "These people really went out beyond the call of duty to help everyone out."