CarolinaEast donates $10,000 in gift cards to western North Carolina

NEW BERN, N.C. (WITN) - An Eastern Carolina hospital says employees banned together and are sending thousands of dollars in gift cards to help recovery efforts in western North Carolina.

The CarolinaEast Health System says employees are donating $10,000 in gift cards to our neighbors out west after the impacts of Hurricane Helene at the end of September.

The hospital says the gift cards are going to the Pardee Hospital Foundation in Hendersonville.

Organizers say one Pardee Hospital physician’s car was swept away by floodwaters. After swimming to safety, the Hendersonville hospital says he walked to work and worked two night shifts.

The hospital foundation says gift cards were collected from staff throughout October and November.