It will be a difficult Holiday Season for residents of Hatteras Island.

On August 27, 2011, Hurricane Irene barreled through the Outer Banks of North Carolina. One area particularly hard hit was Hatteras Island. Highway 12, the main link to the rest of the world for 5,000 island residents, was severed in several places. Although the road has been put back together, the lives of the local residents will take much longer.

With the tourist season shortened by the storm and resulting highway breach, many residents lost their jobs for the season months earlier than normal. It will be a long winter on Hatteras, but help us make Christmas a little brighter for the families there. Please donate to the Cheer For Hatteras fund which will provide toys, bikes and presents to needy families at Christmas this year.