PANAMA CITY, Fla. — Behind a modest wooden house, in a city still reeling from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Michael in October, the sound of chain saws filled the air.
“Clear!’’ yelled a bearded man.
As the chain saws quieted, a unique crew of about a dozen volunteer relief workers sprung into action.
The men and women wore T-shirts bearing their first names, such as Dennis, a 39-year-old Army veteran from Evans, Ga., who said he and Thor, the German Shepherd by his side and wearing his own T-shirt, were injured in combat; Kevin, a 46-year-old wildland firefighter and chain saw instructor from Colorado Springs, Colo; and Dale, a 44-year-old semi-retired race car driver from Kannapolis, N.C.
That would be Dale Earnhardt Jr., who earlier this week was carrying logs and clearing debris in this Florida Panhandle city where Hurricane Michael and its 130-mph winds killed at least 16 people and left an estimated $1 billion in damage.
“I’ve got two hands and two legs,’’ Earnhardt told USA TODAY Sports, “and I’m ready to do whatever’s needed.’’
Pairing with other volunteers, Earnhardt used a log carrier to haul sawed-off chunks of fallen trees and looked committed to the work far less glamorous than driving his old No. 88 Chevrolet around NASCAR tracks.
“He hopped right in there,’’ Chris, a 59-year-old retired police sergeant and Air Force veteran from Athol, Mass., said of Earnhardt. “He’s good with his hands, that’s for sure.’’
Patches of sweat had formed on Earnhardt’s T-shirt and the scrapes were a souvenir from his visit with Team Rubicon. Founded by two U.S. Marines, Team Rubicon is a non-governmental organization designed to support recovery efforts in areas devastated by natural disasters and to help military veterans transition back into civilian life.
“I just love that,’’ said Earnhardt, a two-time winner of the Daytona 500 who retired from full-time racing after the 2017 season.
Earnhardt spent about five hours Monday with a small team of employees from Mountain Dew, for which Earnhardt has served as a spokesman for the past decade. The soft-drink brand owned by PepsiCo launched an advertising campaign featuring Team Rubicon and donated $1 million to the organization.
“We wanted to put our money where our mouth is and really kick off the partnership,’’ said Nicole Portwood, vice president of marketing for Mountain Dew. So, they called on Earnhardt to help launch the campaign.
Source: Read Full Article