I have spent the past three days driving hundreds of miles delivering All Things Country Magazine. It's a great opportunity to catch up with our advertisers when we aren't trying to sell them something. Everyone is happy to see you, they don't dread it. That is how most months go at least. That hasn't been the case this month.
Now, don't get me wrong. I have enjoyed seeing everyone. It's just the other sights I have seen are heartbreaking. It's good that the people of Kentucky are resilient because that is what it's going to take. Everyone working together to help put these areas back together.
My first day of delivery takes me from Winchester to Olive Hill, and areas in between the two. My sister Roben always goes with me during this trip, so she also got to see some of the devastation. I really didn't think we'd see much since we weren't going southeast at all. Boy, was I wrong.
We took the exit off of Interstate 64 that goes towards Salt Lick and the Cave Run area. We leave magazines at the Kentucky Market Pavilion at that exit. After leaving there, we decided to turn left to see what all the trucks were doing up the road. It was then that we noticed the old Boot Store building across the road. The roof was gone, for the most part at least. Once we started looking around we saw another house with no roof. There was a crew on top fixing it.
And insulation! It was everywhere. In the trees, in the fields. Stuck to signs. Trees were literally spun out of the ground and were laying beside the roads. The trucks we saw? Well, they were still clearing the roadway of trees that had been pulled up by the roots. This was 5 days after the tornadoes had hit. And I hadn't even heard there was damage there!
Between that exit and the Salt Lick area I imagine we saw at least 10 barns or buildings of some type laying in rubble. Lots of roofs gone. And even more insulation. It is blown everywhere. I had the camera with me too. But I just couldn't stop and take pictures. It is still too heartbreaking to record for me. I'd rather stop when the rebuilding process is going on I guess.
I have continued to see destruction each day. The Campton area was hit pretty hard - with hail! The houses are just dotted with hail damage. At least this destruction is fixable. In many cases fixable isn't an option. Yesterday, I saw the destruction along I-75 near the East Bernstadt community in Laurel County. Words just don't do justice to it. The people just standing there, staring at the piles of lumber. Again, I couldn't pick up the camera for that.
I have also heard lots of stories each day. Most of them disturbing. Like generators being turned away from the West Liberty area. Or a local Cattlemen group being turned away - from serving meals to workers! And that is all I am hearing about. West Liberty. And I feel for everyone there. If supplies and equipment are being turned away, the residents aren't getting the help they should be getting.
Who's in control down there? Just who is turning them away? The Red Cross is one report I've heard. They don't want supplies or anything else. Just money. Yes, I'm irritated with this. And I've given to the Red Cross, don't get me wrong. But I also think alot of good, caring people are contributing to the Red Cross fund and I'll be curious to see how much of this money actually gets into the hands of tornado victims.
And it's not just West Liberty that needs help. West Liberty just needs the most help. There is Salyersville, parts of Johnson County, Boone County, Bath County, Laurel County. Schools are gone, homes and businesses are gone. And you can't tell me that there isn't an immediate need for things. Not just money. These people don't need money right now, they need shoes and something to eat. They need to know we all care.
I will be out with my camera soon. I've got one more day of delivering the magazine and tomorrow I plan on taking off for the West Liberty and Salyersville area. It's the reporter in me........
And I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet. But I'm going to do something.
Have a blessed day everyone. And keep all the storm victims in your prayers. Not just in Kentucky, but in the other six states that received damage too.
Pam
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