Surviving the worst may bring out the best
It was so good to see the sunshine this past week after a month of overcast and an ice storm. In the south, February is always a month full of surprises, and it's not always on Valentine's Day.
January closed with warmer days, and then Wednesday, Feb. 1, an ice storm hit, and the days to follow brought on some of the worst memories for the citizens of Marshall County.
It was a throwback to February 1994 when an ice storm hit the area. People were again without power. They were sitting in their homes cold and unable to do many daily things they usually do with electricity. Going without electricity is bearable for a day or two, but for most, the electricity was out for up to 10-12 days. It's an unimaginable situation that became a reality for many Marshall County residents. The Marshall County Board of Supervisors stepped up for the community and proclaimed a state of emergency to Governor Tate Reeves Thursday, Feb. 2. Because of this action, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency came and helped coordinate getting the electricity back in our homes and businesses. With the help of MEMA, by Sunday, Feb. 5, 19 crews from eight different power cooperatives, along with Holly Springs Utility Department, helped restore us to our everyday daily lives.
Thanks goes out to all the linemen.
Residents whose power was out for several days lost everything in their refrigerators and freezers. With groceries being so high, this was devasting to many, but the community came together to help those in need by preparing hot plates of food at local churches and other outlets. The Eddie Lee Smith Multi-Purpose Center opened its doors to give out food and blankets and provide some a warm place to stay.
Feeding Hearts Pantry coordinator Delia Reid coordinated an event with Memphis Food Bank. Local volunteers gave out groceries and hot meals for over 500 families in the parking lot at the old Walmart on Thursday, Feb. 9.
There are so many who helped those in need.
I write about what has happened this past month to highlight how we overcame this challenging time. We survived. It wasn't easy, but our community survived it together.
Our area is diverse and survives like all do in this great country. We are all struggling with something in our lives. It may be money, emotions, or family, but we all struggle with something. What we learn from these struggles is that in these primal moments of chaos, we can all lend a hand to help each other as we did during the ice storm. It was beautiful to see people come together to help one another. I know many were upset with some aspects of HSUD, but we still came together to help each other, one way or another.
Quote for the day: “How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.”
~George Washington Carver