Ben Madilynn
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) – One Lowcountry business owner is working to give back to the hundreds of people devastated by Hurricane Helene and he is calling on other businesses to do the same.
Paul Galmitz, the owner of Palmetto Tide Shrimp and Seafood, said that when he turned his TV on and saw the damage caused by Helene, he simply could not just sit around and watch.
“I got to do something. What little bit I can do, and I know a lot of other people feel the same way. So, I’m going to try and inspire people to do something. That’s what I felt,” Galmitz said. “People don’t have any places to go. Forget about water and the basic necessities, they don’t even have any place to go. So, we have got to help people.”
Galmitz ditched his plans and decided to come out to his shrimp stand and make some change. He decided that for every pound of shrimp that he sells, he is now going to donate $1 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund to help the victims of Helene. He also plans to accept lone donations without a purchase to put toward the Red Cross.
Galmitz said that on average, they sell hundreds and even up to thousands of pounds of shrimp in a week. He hopes that in the next month or so he is able to work with other community members to provide the Red Cross with half a million dollars.
He said that he feels extremely lucky that he was not impacted more by all of this, and he decided to kick this initiative off by contributing $100 himself. He hopes that by starting this, he can inspire other business owners to do the same and give what they can as every little bit helps.
“My thought is that if I can do something and inspire other businesses in the community to do what they can – if I got 100 businesses that did $1,000 in 10 days, or 300 businesses could do a minimum of $1,000 in 10 days, that’s $300,000 – you get the point, it just goes up from there and every little bit contributes. And maybe this thing will take the life of its own on we can really help some people,” Galmitz said.
Palmetto Tide Shrimp and Seafood is located at Boone Hall Farms Willie’s Roadside Market at 2434 Highway 17 in Mount Pleasant. Galmitz said that he plans to accept donations for at least the next month.
“Come see us, buy some shrimp. The shrimp that’s coming in right now is the best I’ve seen in eight years. So, you win the Red Cross wins, and the people in need win. and again, the other businesses in our community and the greater Charleston area come up with an idea – it could be different than mine – and implement it and let’s see what we can do,” he said.
Galmitz wants to call on everyone to help in whatever way they can as he believes nothing is too small to make a difference. While Galmitz is just one community member who wants to help out, there are many other organizations and people in the Lowcountry who are coming together and giving back to those impacted by Helene, whether that be through donating time, money or items.
The following are direct donation links to other organizations that are supporting the victims of Helene:
Some Lowcountry businesses also providing relief efforts include:
- The CODfather in North Charleston is accepting donations for a second trip bringing supplies
- The Tattooed Moose in Park Circle is collecting supplies to bring to North Carolina
- Miller’s All Day is collecting donations and sending crews Tuesday morning
- Hobcaw Brewing Company in Mount Pleasant is accepting donations all throughout the week
- JW Shirtworks in Charleston is accepting donations
- Gold Star Coffee on Johns Island is accepting donations
- Pet Helpers is taking pet supplies to help the animals impacted
- iServeWithJoy is accepting donations
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