I hardly ever check Facebook (I admit it -- I'm just not really a Facebook person). So I probably took a few days to respond to my friend Jenny's mail, but when I opened it, I was touched by her heart and her family's goodwill.
Jenny and her family are collecting books and school supplies for Hackleburg, Alabama, which was recently flattened by a tornado. Here's the logo her son drew.
Jenny's currently got a bin sitting on her front porch in the Kansas City metro area, but since I'm not sure I want to just, oh, post her address here, please email Jenny at jennymeade311@gmail.com if you want access to that bin. I'm sure she'll only have you body scanned once.
Jenny writes:
If you live outside the area, I urge you to start your own collection, or go here and donate in other ways. If you want to know more about Hackleburg, Alabama, visit this Facebook page.
I know there are lots of other little towns with massive destruction like this one. I know there are more people who need help. I know there is much to do. I am one woman, we are one family, we are four states away, and this is what we can do. Do something, whatever you can do.
I remember posting my husband's essay about Parkersburg, Iowa, in 2008 after he received this text from his brother: "f4 tornado hits parkersburg. town gone." At this time of year, I always hear people from other areas of the country ruminating on tornados. They are fascinating and terrifying in their randomness, and when they hit, time after time, it's tempting to succomb to tornado and disaster fatigue and stop doing. I know I feel that way. I am sick of the disasters, sick of the sad stuff, sick of digging deep.
That's why I love what Jenny is doing. It's not hard to weed through your kid's bookshelf (which I am doing this weekend, Jenny) and find some great books to donate. You'd do it anyway. Smart projects take the behavior people are going to do anyway and turn it into good.
Like rebuild. Looks like the Parkersurg city-wide garage sale is this Saturday.
It's always worth it.