PRINCEVILLE HOLIDAY UPDATE

PRINCEVILLE, NC – The holiday season is alive and well in Princeville, NC. While officials continue to need and appreciate all donations and volunteer efforts, numerous families have been "adopted" by families from throughout the state. There is about $240,000 in the Princeville Relief Fund, and toys, gifts, food and clothing continue to arrive to the town totally devastated over three months ago by Hurricane Floyd. More than 100 donated bicycles are tagged and ready for children, and the Carolina Panthers are in the area today meeting families and bringing more than 500 gift baskets full of turkeys and hams. Princeville streetlights are adorned with Christmas reindeer donated by Louisburg, NC. Over the weekend, Town officials hosted two holiday celebrations for more than 800 people.

Although most of Princeville’s 2000 citizens remain in temporary housing outside of town, many are returning. New construction is taking place. While Princeville continues to wait for recovery workers to remove dozens of destroyed trailers, around 40 families have moved single and doublewide mobile homes onto their Princeville land as rebuilding takes place. There are another two dozen campers and RV’s also in town. Most residents are back in their Southern Terrace neighborhood. The US Army Corps of Engineers has visited the dike which surrounds Princeville and has laid survey stakes to begin repairs.