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Putnam County will be collecting donations for Middle Tennesseans dealing with the aftermath of Saturday’s tornado through Wednesday.
Cookeville Community Center Program Coordinator Debbie Parker said the center will take donations until 4pm Monday, and from 8am-7pm on Tuesday and Wednesday. Parker said she remembers the support the Upper Cumberland received during the tornadoes of 2020, and now is our time to return the favor.
“It’s huge, it’s everything,” Parker said. “Most people have lost everything and anything helps when you have nothing. When you are dependent on others, we’ve got to have people that are willing to step up and help. It’s just vitally important.”
Volunteers will help the Putnam County Parks and Recreation staff unload and organize items like shovels, work gloves, and flashlights, as well as food and bottled water for the communities affected. The center also collecting batteries, tarps (large and small), industrial trash bags, 20-30 gallon storage totes w/lids, individual electrolyte packs (Gatorade or similar for bottled water), protein bar type snacks, Clorox Wipes and bleach.
A full list of needed items can be found on the Putnam County Emergency Management Agency Facebook page.
“We are the best community ever because we are in the volunteer state and I know that’s a cliche, but it’s not just a cliche,” Parker said. “We have huge hearts here. We have deep belief.”
Parker said it is easy to want to help when something like this affects you personally. Parker said Putnam County’s willingness to empathize and step up for complete strangers in need speaks to how special and selfless the Upper Cumberland community is.
“You want to do something, and especially this time of year with Christmas coming up, it’s just something that we really felt we needed to do,” Parker said.
Pallets will be on site for loading supplies onto trucks. Averitt Express has partnered with the county to transport donations to the affected areas of Middle Tennessee. Donations must be new, unused items. The EF3 intensity tornado left an 11-mile trail of destruction just north of Nashville.
“That’s what community is,” Parker said. “We step up and we help others when they’re in need. It’s like a big family.”
