Kentucky Thanks Federation Members for Thousands of Dollars in Tornado Relief Donations

It is reported that December 10 produced a historic December tornado outbreak across several southeast and central states which caused devastating damage across many towns and cities. This outbreak produced two long-tracked EF-4 tornadoes across Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee and Kentucky. The longest tornado track was nearly 166 miles across Kentucky and a small portion of Tennessee.

There were over 800 total miles of tornado path length on December 10. The peak intensity from this outbreak was EF-4 rated wind speeds of 190 mph in Mayfield, Kentucky which is in Graves County. Mayfield's downtown district was heavily damaged. Other heavily damaged areas were Dawson Springs and Bowling Green, Kentucky. This day was also the deadliest December tornado outbreak recorded in the United States with the most Kentucky fatalities recorded in Muhlenburg County.

Waking up on December 11th to learn of the death and destruction in the West part of the state was something most of us will not forget. I was preparing to leave for Lexington, Kentucky located in the central part of our state to preside over the Executive Committee and Board of Directors meetings for the Kentucky Federation of Republican Women.

The first phone call I received in the early hours of Saturday was Ann Schockett, Immediate Past President of the National Federation of Republican Women asking, “How can we help?” Right away the NFRW and KFRW began to work toward a plan to assist those who lived in the path of the destruction in Kentucky.

With the help from the NFRW, by Saturday evening we had a commitment from Rotary International to deliver heated tents for temporary housing. I lost count of the calls, texts and emails I received from federation sisters across the nation. From Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s office to people that I had met while traveling, people were asking how they could help in West Kentucky. Monday, I learned that three of our members had lost their homes in these horrific storms.

While we came up with a plan that could have long lasting effects for those who lived in the storm’s path, then President Ann kept in close contact with me as the state federation made decisions as to what action to take. With the help of our web designer and our state treasurer, Carol Rogers, by Tuesday morning, we had a system in place and people could donate money by visiting our Federation website. Then NFRW President, Ann Schockett, sent out a national call to action to all states in our federation with a request for help. Within 24 hours, our federation received $6,000 even though the website crashed for a time due to the people visiting the website.

We then had to decide what to do with the money received. By vote of the Kentucky Federation Executive Committee, we voted to give a check to each of our members who lost their homes. We also decided to reassess their needs at a future date before giving the balance of the donations to those local charities who served in the storm ravaged communities.

In the meantime, we were still seeking ways to help give long term assistance to those living in the hardest hit areas of the storm. After several conversations with Brenda Rice of the Franklin County RWC in Frankfort, Kentucky, by Tuesday she had contacted the Kentucky Auto Dealers Association to secure vehicles. On Wednesday, another Kentucky Federation Sister, Karie Lester, a member of WROCK in Lexington, Kentucky called to advise that her employer, Hewlett Packard (HP), would pledge $285,000 for the purpose of purchasing and placing computers, etc., in schools and emergency centers. With the help of the office of Senator Rand Paul, by early Friday morning, 4 computers along with hot spots were installed by HP in 4 emergency centers in western Kentucky.

Because of the outpouring of support from federation sisters all over the United States, on Friday, December 17th the Kentucky Federation issued, and hand delivered checks in the amount of $1,000 to each of our three federation sisters who had lost their homes. Since our members needed no further assistance at this time, on March 9th, 2022, three checks in the amount of $2123.68 were presented to three charities still serving the devastated area. Two additional checks in the same amount were mailed to the home offices of charities serving in western Kentucky. The total amount received for the tornado relief in western Kentucky is $13,618.43 after all fees were collected by the servicing agent.

The organizations who were given the balance of your donations were, the Warren County Habitat for Humanity, Bowling Green Independent Schools Resource Center, Mayfield Graves County Tornado Relief Fund, Team Rubicon, and Mercy Chefs. The names of each of these non-profit groups were submitted by our federation sisters who live in the storm ravaged areas and knew of the impact they were making in their communities. Because of your kindness and generosity, the money you donated will be used to help ease some of the burden caused by the destructive storms in our beautiful Kentucky on December 10th. And it did not stop there.

On March 2nd, the club president from the Chelan Republican Women’s Club in Washington state emailed and asked where to send an additional $800 to Republican Women in need of assistance in the towns of Dawson Springs and Mayfield, Kentucky. Their members had collected and donated $1,000 earlier in the year.

I have often heard that charity starts at home. A home is built on a foundation. A foundation is the most important element of any building and serves to support the weight of any structure across a variety of climates and needs. The Federation is representative of the place where we all dwell as conservative women. Our members are the foundation in support of our organization across a variety of needs. You, our federation sisters, are a fine example of what it means that charity starts at home.

On behalf of the members of the Kentucky Federation of Republican Women, thank you for your generosity, your kindness but most of all your love in friendship. Together, we can, and we will, overcome what life can bring our way because we choose to be sisters even in midst of catastrophic events. May God Bless you each one.

NOTE: If you would like to read more stories and see pictures documenting the aftermath of the storms, please visit “The Vue”. The magazine is published in Paducah, Kentucky which is located in one of the most western parts of Kentucky. The link to the issue dedicated to the aftermath can be found at: VUE Magazine February 2022 (omagdigital.com)