Cookeville tornado relief efforts demonstrate “Volunteer State” spirit

Kaylin Moore - Sophomore, Staff Writer | News

In the wake of the storm’s destruction early on March 3rd, Tennessee has proved why its nicknamed the Volunteer State.

By Tuesday morning, only hours after the sun rose, people had already taken to the streets to help those who had been affected by the record-breaking EF-4 tornado. All across the city, Cookeville citizens were picking up debris, lending their cars for transportation, sharing power tools, and distributing supplies to those in need.

“This has been the worst disaster to hit Putnam County in modern day history with nineteen deaths,” says Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter. “Everyone has been working tirelessly since [the storm] to ensure the survivors’ needs have been met.”

In the days following the tornado, nearly eight thousand volunteers came to the aid of those in need. Multiple churches have begun collecting food and other necessities for victims.

“It makes our name the ‘Volunteer State’ really mean something,” says Porter.

Though rebuilding from the devastation will take time, the mayor has been blown away by the support the county has received thus far. Anyone who would like to volunteer is encouraged to visit www.putnamcounty.gov/survivors for more information. Donations can be made to the Cookeville-Putnam County Tornado Relief Fund at the Bank of Putnam County.

With the global Coronavirus pandemic making social distancing restrictions essential, resources can be difficult to obtain. If you or your family have been affected by the storm, you can contact First United Methodist Church at 931-526-2177 on Wednesdays from 1-3 p.m. to make an appointment to pick up from their food pantry, which is following strict safety precautions. The Cookeville Rescue Mission is also still providing assistance to those in need and has extended the number of nights guests can stay indefinitely, as long as they observe social distancing regulations. Victims can also call Putnam County Emergency Management at 931-646-4636 for any needs.

More in-depth information can be found at https://www.wcte.org/support/tornado-victims/. While COVID-19 has taken precedence on the news, the city of Cookeville has no plans to lose sight of the still-apparent needs of the victims of the March 3rd tornado.

“We live in a great community and we will get past this,” says Mayor Porter. “We are Putnam Strong!”