Local groups recognized for volunteer efforts

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28-04-2025

Apr. 28—PRICEVILLE — Several Priceville residents received the inaugural Spirit of Priceville Award for their ongoing volunteer efforts to help North Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene.
During Priceville's Celebrate the City event, which commemorated the 50th anniversary of being founded, Mayor Sam Heflin surprised 19 citizens with the award.
"To know that the community has recognized us and cares about us like that, that meant a lot," said Johnny Maxwell, a leader for one of the volunteer groups.
Known collectively as the North Alabama Boys, the volunteers were also honored earlier in the month with an Alabama House Resolution sponsored by Representative Parker Moore.
Following the devastation of Hurricane Helene in September 2024, Maxwell and Rand Hutchison knew they wanted to help victims. The two began separately organizing efforts to provide workers and residents with supplies, meals and donations of any kind.
They became known collectively as the North Alabama Boys.
The two groups have collectively raised about $350,000 in money and goods for the hurricane victims and workers.
Hutchison, along with Decatur firefighter Adron Davis, were brainstorming ideas for how to help when Davis said, "What if we just go on our own and cook for people?"
Hutchison said they then took the idea a step further: "What if we did something crazy, like ribeyes?"
The two originally aimed to provide 600 meals. They figured they would need between 3,000 — 3,500 dollars.
After a Facebook post gained unexpected attention, they were able to raise $25,000. They bought supplies from Texas Roadhouse, which sold the food at cost.
For three days, they handed out as many meals as they could — breakfast, lunch and dinner.
"You could tell that the people of North Carolina were just tired," Hutchison said. "They had been living this day after day, for weeks. ... To see that face turn to a smile just because you handed them a really awesome ribeye sandwich, every day we would go to bed tired, yet so fulfilled."
They were able to hand out about 3,500 meals and had money to spare. A second trip was planned. It fell in early December, and they brought toys.
Maxwell's crew focused more on bringing different supplies. As the weather grew colder, they donated hundreds of heaters and propane tanks.
They received donations from all around the country. Maxwell described opening the mailbox and finding thousands of dollars in donations.
"It was organic. We felt a call from the Lord to go and help our fellow man," Maxwell said. "We went up to see what we could do. We were thinking small. God was thinking a lot larger."
With the funds, the group has been able to supply the Double Island Fire Department with a UTV side-by-side. They also provided Rebuilding Hollers, a home reconstruction focused foundation, with an extended lift lull.
They've also partnered with Blossman Gas to cover the costs of refilling propane tanks. Citizens can take in a voucher for three 20-pound tanks, and Hutchison's party pays the cost weekly.
They have made 13 different trips, lasting about three days each. A group left Monday with 300 sheets of plywood for construction efforts.
Maxwell said he has encouraged Hutchison in their joint volunteering efforts. He shared that his group is made up of mostly older citizens, but Hutchison's volunteers are younger.
"I said, 'Rand, I'm 65. You're 36. You've got 30 — 40 years you can provide service. You take this mantle, and you wear it well,'" Maxwell said. "'We'll support you as long as we can. It's befitting that you guys head all of this up, and we will support you.'"
Hutchison has filed paperwork to become an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Like the work in North Carolina, Hutchison said, "Our main focus is going to be feeding people in disaster recovery zones."
He said the organization also wants to partner with local homeless missions to provide meals.
Maxwell shared that when Heflin asked him to come to the Celebrate the City event, he expected to wave their hands as a brief recognition. He described being "blown away" and "humbled beyond belief" upon receiving the award.
He emphasized that none of the volunteers had any expectation of receiving recognition for their service.
"The first words out of Rand Hutchison's mouth were, 'Johnny, I think I speak for me and you both, and the groups that we lead' he said, 'we never did this for anybody to pat us on the back,'" Maxwell said.
Maxwell, pastor of Nature's Trail Baptist Church, sees the donations and volunteering as part of the church's ministry.
"Every one of them looked at it as a mission trip for God," said Heflin. "They didn't do it bring glory on them. They did it all to bring glory to God."
The two volunteer leaders also highlighted the local support they have received. For example, an area veterinarian donated pallets of dog food, cat food and cat litter, which Hutchison's crew transported. Similarly, the propane vouchers that Maxwell's group handed out were printed by Decatur Printing Solutions.
"They'll tell you it came from the community. As a mayor it makes you proud," Heflin said.
Contact me at [e-mail] or 256-340-2437.