KEYSTONE HEIGHTS – Two pilots at the Keystone Heights Airport, Grant Hooks and Jay DeAndrade, signed up with Operation Airdrop Disaster Relief to fly donations to Ft. Myers Airport for the victims of Hurricane Ian.

The relief effort is a nonprofit organization from Texas that specializes in providing airborne aid to areas that are suffering from hurricane flooding. The organization comprises of volunteers who organize volunteer pilots to deliver essential supplies to those in non-accessible areas.

“It helps fill in the gaps between what the government and local municipalities can do,” DeAndrade said.

After learning about Operation Airdrop from a friend on Facebook, Hooks shared the information with DeAndrade and the two collected donations before flying to Ft. Myers shortly after Hurricane Ian hit Florida. In addition, Maria Searcy, the airport manager for Keystone Heights Airport, shared information about Operation Airdrop with local businesses and organizations. The response was huge.

The local community and surrounding areas showed their support by donating items such as non-perishable foods, pet food, pillows, hygiene products and trash bags to the airport.

Although Operation Airdrop ended last week, Hooks and DeAndrade took another load to Ft. Myers.

“As long as people keep donating supplies,” Hooks said, “we’ll keep donating our time and resources to fly them down there and get them where they are needed.”

The response of the community went further than what the pilots expected.

“I’m very happy with everything everybody has donated,” Hooks said.

Both encouraged the community to continue donating as there is still a need.

“I’d like to encourage everyone if you have the means or resources, to do your part and help out our fellow citizens in need, pay it forward,” DeAndrade said. “Any little bit counts. Even if you buy a couple of cans of food and donate those. Everything helps.”