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Volunteers prepare Dublin High School for Hurricane Dorian evacuees

Volunteers transformed the high school's gym from basketball practice to a hurricane shelter

DUBLIN, Ga. — As two high schools in Laurens County are set to be closed for at least a day to take in Hurricane Dorian evacuees, we checked in to see what the process was like for getting them ready.

From a noon basketball practice to a shelter fit for hundreds, it was the volunteers that made it all possible.

“As a result of briefings from our local GEMA, we are indeed an evacuation center,” said Dublin City Schools superintendent Fred Williams.

Hunner Morgan, a third grader, said he didn’t want to sit around playing Fortnite on his Labor Day holiday.

“I’ve seen how people live and I see that we can help them and I see what we have that they don’t,” he said.

So, he made sure each person who comes to the shelter has a blanket.

“It makes me feel good because people have places to sleep and they don’t have to sleep in the storm,” he said.

Williams say in addition to a place to sleep, evacuees will be able to take a hot shower and eat a hot meal.

Racketa Carr, the cafeteria manager for Dublin High School, doesn't get to take the day off like her students.

Her crew will help serve three meals to the possible hundreds of people staying at the school to ride out the storm. She says it's her third hurricane that they've opened their doors to help.

“Right now, we don't have the number, but we are prepared for whatever. The first year we came through, we maxed out at over 700 people, but we just dealt with them with a smile,” said Carr.

Thanks to the dozens of volunteers, the evacuees who come to this shelter will have a warm meal and a place to rest their head farther away from the storm inching towards the Georgia coast.

Laurens County Schools also announced that they will close school Tuesday. Superintendent Dan Brigman says they'll be taking it one day at a time regarding reopening.

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