KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Separated by several states and a full day of driving, the connection between West Michigan and the west coast of Florida is nonetheless strong.
"This is a big deal. This is actually hitting home," said Chad Jacob, the owner of two College HUNKS franchises — one in Kalamazoo and the other in Sarasota, Florida, in the path of Hurricane Milton.
On Wednesday, Jacob and other College HUNKS employees loaded water bottles, nonperishable food and other items into a company moving truck. The Kalamazoo location had put out the call for donations earlier in the week. While Jacob initially planned to drive one truck down to the site of the likely deadly natural disaster, a steady flow of donations made one truck "turn into three, possibly four now," including nearly 500 pairs of shoes from Gazelle Sports.
"Our purpose is to move the world, which is to make a difference in somebody's life in any way, shape or form," Jacob said.
Less than a year removed from the Portage tornado — a local natural disaster — Jacob knows what trucks full of basic survival needs will mean to Floridians.
"I grew up with basically nothing, and seeing what these people are going through, where they've established everything then all of a sudden everything's gone, and it's just in a blink of eye," Jacob said. "Feels amazing to be able to give it back to them... a stepping stone to get back up, hopefully."
College HUNKS will continue to accept donations dropped off at its Millcork Street address through 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10.
Meanwhile, Aron Calton, the owner of Calton's Lawn Care and Landscaping, is looking to do some driving, too.
The small business owner parked his truck and mowing trailer at a Byron Center business park on Wednesday, beginning an impromptu donation drive for those in the path of Milton.
"Typically, I'm not the type of guy to do donations," said Calton, describing how the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene led him to action. "Felt like I had a strong-enough online presence to be able to accomplish something."
While the table for donations sat empty at mid-morning, Calton hopes to see it filled multiple times over.
"My mom always taught me when I was being raised that if you have the ability to help other people, it is your responsibility to help those other people," Calton said.
Calton's Lawn Care and Landscaping will continue to accept donations "until I just can't get any more donations" from 10 a.m. to around 5 p.m. at 6147 Valduga Dr. SW, Byron Center, MI.
