Red Cross Volunteers Shelter Wildfire Evacuees at Seldon Park

When flames forced families to flee their homes near Highway 82, volunteers at Seldon Park were already setting up cots and warming up dinner.

The Highway 82 Fire has scorched more than 20,000 acres across Brantley County, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate with little more than the clothes on their backs. American Red Cross volunteers transformed Seldon Park into an emergency shelter, offering displaced families a safe place to sleep, hot meals, and a community that cares.

Local church groups joined the effort, turning the shelter into something more than just a temporary roof. Volunteers are providing three meals a day, toiletries, clothing, and emotional support to evacuees who are watching news updates about their neighborhoods from afar.

One mother arrived at the shelter with her five children, uncertain where they would sleep or what came next. Within hours, volunteers had set up beds for the family, found clothes for the kids, and made sure no one went to bed hungry or alone.

The Ripple Effect

The collaboration between Red Cross volunteers and faith communities shows how crisis brings out the best in neighbors. Church members from across Brantley County and nearby Glynn County are donating supplies, cooking meals, and spending nights at the shelter to ensure families feel supported.

Volunteers describe their mission simply: "Love on everybody." That philosophy means listening to worried parents, playing with restless children, and making sure evacuees know their community hasn't forgotten them while firefighters battle to save their homes.

The shelter remains open 24/7 as long as families need it. Volunteers work in shifts to ensure someone is always available to welcome new arrivals or comfort those processing the uncertainty of not knowing if their house is still standing.

For many evacuees, the kindness of strangers has become the bright spot in an otherwise devastating experience. They arrived scared and displaced, but found a community determined to help them through the hardest days.