“Residing in the Volunteer State, our community members are eager to lend a hand to their fellow neighbors in times of need,” stated Beth Koffman, COO of The Community Foundation of West Tennessee.
This week’s storms that devastated Selmer have motivated the West Tennessee community to unite.
“We have many volunteers from our church here today, alongside others from nearby congregations, including those traveling from Boonville, Mississippi, to assist us. Freed-Hardeman University has also sent volunteers down,” remarked John Foote, who is coordinating the volunteer activities at Eastside Church of Christ in Selmer.
Students from Freed-Hardeman University and other volunteers came together to help remove fallen trees in Selmer.
The Community Foundation of West Tennessee has initiated their Disaster Relief fund, which was established in 1999 following a storm in Madison County. Koffman shared with 39 News the community’s generous donations.
“Upon announcing that the fund was reactivated, donations began pouring in, including some overnight. In just the last 24 hours, we’ve received over $3,500 for the fund,” she noted.
Jackson’s Harley Davidson dealership shared news on Facebook encouraging community contributions. Morgan Staton, a Motorcycle Sales Specialist, mentioned a tremendous response from the community.
“Currently, we are requesting no further clothing donations as we have more than enough. We need cases of water, non-perishable food items, snacks, hygiene products, baby supplies, and perhaps some blankets,” Staton added.
Due to overwhelming community support for donations, Harley Davidson has requested no further clothing contributions.
On the ground in Selmer, The Eastside Church of Christ is collaborating with the Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Effort Inc. and local volunteers. John Foote, an Elder at Eastside, explained the contents of the food boxes being distributed.
“These boxes include beans, canned goods, and similar items. Each box is carefully designed based on years of experience to feed a family of four for five days,” Foote elaborated.
