For the last two weeks, volunteers from across the country have rolled up sleeves and into west Kentucky — aiming to help disheveled families and businesses get back on track after devastating December storms.
But a lot of people offering their time, money and efforts in Graves, Hopkins, Lyon, Marshall, Christian and Caldwell counties are locals — and, in particular, students.
Twelve such students were at work all of Thursday morning, when Trigg County’s Interact program split its forces between the Governor’s visit at Lake Barkley State Resort Park and Southside Baptist Church in Princeton, where large amounts of donations needed to be handled and distributed at both locations.
Two club officers, Elizabeth Hiter and Mackenzie Rogers, were among the six in Princeton — charged with bundling gift boxes for families coming through for the powerful and emotional Greenfield Tree Farm extravaganza.
Hiter noted Trigg’s Interact operates mostly behind-the-scenes as a support group, and being in the middle of a tragedy has been an important learning experience on how to coordinate emergency efforts.
Rogers added seeing some of the damage and recovery up-close-and-personal made the tragedy feel very real.
Mikayla Hopson, a science teacher at Trigg County High School and Interact representative, said the club’s philanthropic efforts for the west Kentucky tornadoes began December 11 — donating livestock supplies and animal feed to Southern States, while gathering supplies for the Greenfield Christmas Tree Farm.
When Hopson saw what the Greenfield family was coordinating at the Southside Baptist Church annex — which includes a stunning gallery of decorated Douglas firs, as well as a makeshift living room space and warm hearth for families to receive presents — she knew Interact kids needed to experience it.
Donations at Southside Baptist Church have filled their auxiliary gym and several Sunday School classes, with loads of extra stuff ready should the need arise.
But the efforts won’t stop here. In coordination with Trigg County’s FFA program, Trigg Interact will continue collecting donations for Southern States.
Interact clubs are community service organizations geared toward high-school aged young adults, and are offshoots of Rotary International.
