Ocracoke Strong Kitchen gets nod from the governor

For months after Hurricane Dorian last September, Ocracoke restaurant owner Jason Wells and a crew of volunteers cooked and fed the storm-shocked islanders and disaster recovery crews.

Now, they’ve received an award from Gov. Roy Cooper for their efforts.

Wells, who owns Jason’s Restaurant and led the Ocracoke Strong Kitchen, recently posted about the award on the kitchen’s Facebook page. The crew received the Governor’s Medallion Award for Volunteer Service.

Wells and a group of volunteers began spontaneously cooking meals for islanders a few days after Dorian and continued for months.

In the initial days after Dorian flooded the island on Sept. 6 , Jason Wells rallied some local helpers, Eduardo Chavez, Charles O’Neal and Chrissy Waller, to grill some chicken left by Fat Fellas of Newport, or food donated by U.S. Foods, the Ocracoke Observer wrote.

After the Salvation Army and Baptists on Mission, which been helping feed residents and first-responders, left on Oct. 13, Wells continued the free lunches in the Community Center.

• Read more about Wells and the Ocracoke Strong Kitchen at the Ocracoke Observer