Russell Countians Share Compassion Through Disaster Relief Drive For Victims of Hurricane Sandy
A portion of the items donated locally for victims of Hurricane Sandy
“Unbelievable” and “overwhelming” are a couple of words used late Friday to describe a local disaster relief effort to benefit victims of Hurricane Sandy which devastated parts of the east coast recently.
The local drive was sponsored by the Russell County Rescue Squad, Russell County Emergency Management, the Lake Cumberland Community Action Agency and Laker Country, WJRS. For twelve hours over four consecutive days this past week, volunteer members of the Russell County Rescue Squad manned the agency’s headquarters next to WJRS to provide a convenient drop-off point for donations. The disaster relief effort locally resulted in well over $10,000 worth of basic necessity items and clothing being donated.
Members of WJRS’ staff made the 800+ mile trip to the hard-hit city of Moonachie, New Jersey on Saturday to deliver a truck load of donated items which included bottled water, baby formula and diapers, canned foods, personal hygeine items, toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates and cups, and various types and sizes of clothing and blankets.
Russell County Emergency Management Director H.M. Bottom said “it’s one of the largest responses I’ve ever seen to help others so far away”. Bottom went on to say “the generosity of Russell County’s people never ceases to amaze me”.
Former Russell Countian Molly Bradshaw Adrian, a 1996 graduate of RCHS, and her husband Rick, coordinated the drop-off in Moonachie based on need. The Adrian’s reside in nearby Wayne, NJ where Molly is a Nurse Practitioner.
A special “thank you” to everyone who donated, to the Russell County Rescue Squad and to the Lake Cumberland Community Action Agency.
