Even as the state of North Carolina takes the brunt of Hurricane Florence, public assembly venues in the state have rallied to assist evacuees in the spirit that venues have become known for.
An emergency shelter for Hurricane Florence evacuees opened Wednesday at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem. While the shelter opened to accommodate people evacuating from the coast, people in the area are also welcome to stay.
The Red Cross indicated that those choosing to come to the shelter should be prepared to bring prescription medications, extra clothing, pillows, blankets, hygiene supplies, important documents, and other comfort items.
Meanwhile, last night the Boston College-Wake Forest football game took place at BB&T Field. The game was moved up two hours to get the game in and get the people out and to safety. A number of other college games around the state were cancelled including West Virginia-NC State, East Carolina-Virginia Tech and UCF-North Carolina.
Further inland, the Charlotte Motor Speedway also opened its Rock City Campground at noon Tuesday for evacuees heading west or 
inland from Hurricane Florence.
With severe weather in the forecast for other southeastern states, accommodations will be available as long as possible prior to potential landfall. Evacuees will have access to bathhouse facilities on speedway property.
“While the Charlotte area is not completely out of the region that could face the effects of Hurricane Florence, for many of our neighbors to the east it is a safer alternative or a good stopping point as they seek shelter elsewhere,” said Greg Walter, executive vice president of Charlotte Motor Speedway. “We look forward to welcoming anyone who needs a place to stop and to showing them the hospitality they deserve as we ride out this storm together.”
Wilmington is the coastal city that in the early stages has taken the greatest fury of Florence. Even so, the spirit of humanity shows up. Representatives from the corporate office of Waffle House in Norcross, GA, arrived in Wilmington to a local Waffle House and opened it to feed hungry first responders.
