Relief and aid endeavors for those affected by the tornado damage in Kentucky are underway in the CSRA.
On Dec. 10, several areas in western Kentucky were ravaged by tornadoes that left more than 70 dead, more than 24,000 people without power, more than 1,000 buildings destroyed and some 15 counties under emergency disaster declaration.
Columbia County for Kentucky is a charity effort organized by Jim Cox, chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission. Launched on Dec. 14, it is in the process of collecting donated supplies to be delivered to those in need. The charity is accepting a wide variety of items for donation, from warm clothes, blankets and toiletries to non-perishable foods, unwrapped toys and flashlights.
“I say, you know, I’ve got the ability, I’ve got the contacts. I think I’ve got the wherewithal to try to put something together,” said Cox, who grew up in Hopkinsville, Ky., about 20 miles from Dawson Springs, one of the towns most severely affected by the tornadoes.
Among those Cox contacted to help coordinate receipt and distribution of donated items in Kentucky was Columbia County District Attorney Bobby Christine. Christine said that one impetus for his decision to partner with the relief drive was an assistant district attorney in his office raised in Bowling Green, Ky., one of the areas affected.
“When he showed me a picture of the rubble that was left of his boyhood home, I said, ‘We’re going to get involved,’” said Christine.
Cox also contacted Trey Enfinger, senior marketing director at Recteq, to secure a centrally located warehouse space; and Trey Allen, risk management consultant and former county commissioner, to help coordinate water donations with Springtime Water.
The first truck of donated items is scheduled to depart on Dec. 20, and Columbia County for Kentucky will continue to accept donations until Dec. 24 at 3 p.m. After that, Cox says, the effort will focus on continuing contact with liaisons in Kentucky, see what the federal response has been.
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The American Red Cross has already started work toward providing relief in Kentucky, with over 15 open shelters in the affected area, says Susan Landreth-Everitt, executive director of the Red Cross of East Central Georgia in Augusta.
“We’re actually in four states for this, but Kentucky was clearly the hardest hit,” said Landreth-Everitt.
Alongside providing shelter, the American Red Cross is providing food for mobile feeding units, cleanup kits and disaster assessment to provide information to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
While no Red Cross volunteers from the CSRA have gone to help in Kentucky yet, Landreth-Everitt said that about 10 to 15 volunteers from Georgia have already arrived there, and aid, along with volunteers, from the Augusta area is expected.
“We anticipate that this recovery is going to be an extensive amount of time,” she said. “So we’ll be sending in more volunteers in another week, and then in two more weeks and then probably a month.”
The Red Cross will also be holding blood drives at the Sacred Heart Cultural Center on Dec. 22 and at the Springlakes Clubhouse in Martinez on Jan. 5, 2022.
“When the Red Cross collects blood, we use it locally first,” said Landreth-Everitt. “But then if there’s anything that is not needed locally, we send it to the area of greatest need, which now would be the tornado victims.”
Columbia County for Kentucky will only be accepting items for donation, not money, at the Recteq warehouse in Evans. The American Red Cross is primarily accepting financial donations.
Cox notes that at moments like these, it behooves the community to work together to provide whatever relief it is able to provide.
“If we’ve got the wherewithal, we need to be good citizens,” said Cox. “Set aside whatever political differences we have and whatever and just do the right thing.”
Columbia County for Kentucky will be accepting donations at Recteq warehouse at 4301 Evans-to-Locks Rd in Evans until Friday, Dec. 24. For more information visit https://www.columbiacountyforkentucky.com/.
The American Red Cross is accepting donations at www.redcross.org and at 1322 Ellis St. in Augusta.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering Columbia County with The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
