Rector native returns to work on cleanup

Jeff Bracken and his J.B. Tree Service crew have been hard at work in Rector over the past several weeks. Members of the crew include, from left: Jeremy Thompson, Dusty Wilson, Jeff Bracken, James Wolfenbarger, Toby Winn and Terry Bracken.

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Jeff Bracken owns and operates J.B. Tree Service in Hillsborough, N.C. He's also a Rector native and 1984 Rector High School grad. When Bracken heard reports of the damage which befell his hometown during the ice storm, he came back to the area as quickly as possible to check on his father, Billy Bert, and do what he could to help the town clean up the debris.

What he saw when arriving in Rector came as a surprise.

"I knew there would be some broken limbs and trees down," Bracken said. "But I've never seen anything like this. There were limbs and trees down everywhere."

Bracken arrived within days of the ice storm's trek through the area. Doing what work he could with brother, Terry, he soon called in members of his crew from North Carolina who first arrived in Rector on Feb. 4. J.B. Tree Service hauled the company's equipment from over 700 miles away and went to work. Crew members working in Rector include Jeff and Terry, Toby Winn, Dusty Wilson, Jeremy Thompson, James Wolfenbarger, Gerald Morris and Donnie Stone.

In the time since they've been working here, Bracken says his employees have developed a fondness for the small town that produced their boss.

"Everybody loves it here. I think some of the guys would be looking to live here if they didn't already have lives in North Carolina. They've been blown away by how nice everybody in Rector is."

While Bracken says he despises the damage done to Rector, he is happy to have the opportunity to spend this much time back in his hometown.

"The main reason I came down in the first place was to see how dad was. When I got here and saw how hard the town had been hit, I knew it would take a while to get everything cleared. I knew I could do something to help with that, so I started calling everybody.

"I think it made dad proud to see me and Terry out here working together, doing what we can for people he's known for years."

The entire crew has rented a house in Kennett during their stay in the area. As for that stay, the brief visit which started the whole process isn't ending anytime soon.

"We've got a lot of work," Bracken said. "I'm sure there'll be a lot more before it's said and done. We'll be here as long as it takes."

Bracken says the typical work day begins early each morning and ends at nightfall, as the crew does their best to counter Mother Nature's damage.

The men take turns returning to their homes in North Carolina every few weeks to reunite with their own loved ones. As members leave, others return to Rector to take their place, and so on, allowing each the opportunity to enjoy some much-deserved time off.

"Family is important to all of us," Bracken said. "We let the guys go home so they can spend some time with their families. My family is what brought me back to Rector, so I can understand just how they feel."