Bells Ring At Tech, Across Putnam Honoring 19 Lives Lost

Hundreds of Tennessee Tech students signed up for volunteer efforts over the Spring semester and Spring break as part of the campus remembrance of the 2020 tornado.

Tennessee Tech President Dr. Phil Oldham said Tech is blessed to be a part of a community with a strong, healthy spirit.

“Words cannot express our gratitude to all the first responders and emergency personnel,” Oldham said. “Who worked tirelessly, 24/7 often at great personal risk to help others.”

Oldham asked people that while bells ring for the 19 lives lost to consider how serving others and living life to the fullest can honor those who are now gone. Oldham said that even as time passes, that moment in history will continue to be told.

“In the future there’s no doubt that old timers will recall the Cookeville tornado of 2020,” Oldham said. “They will talk of the damage and devastation, but will mostly tell of the incredible heart and spirit of this community.”

Tennessee Tech Interim Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Robert Owens said that Tech tries to prepare its students for the real world. He said on that day last year, students stepped up to give their services to help with a real world problem.

“I want to commend our students for their resilience as we experienced a lot of damage and destruction and devastation that day,” Owens said. “Our students continued to want to go and serve and they did continue to go and serve.”