Resources pour into Laurel County as tornado recovery continues

LONDON, Ky. (WKYT) - As the third day of tornado relief continued in Laurel Co., resources from city, statewide and national groups poured into the communities hardest hit by the deadly tornado that ripped through the region late Friday night.

“When the people come and they hug you, you think I’m not worthy to deserve your ‘thank yous’. So, it’s really hard to see this,” said Deanna Herrmann, CEO of the London-Laurel Co. Chamber of Commerce.

Herrmann, along with community volunteers, worked to sort clothes, baby necessities, food and hygiene products. Donations are being brought to the London Market on N. Main St. in London.

“It doesn’t matter who you are and what your title is, we’re here to help,” said Herrmann.

Resources can be found around London.

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In front of the Walmart on KY-192, there is a mobile shower unit and a free laundry service with Tide Loads of Hope. Each household can bring two loads of laundry each day, where it will be washed, dried and folded.

Volunteers say it is one less thing they want people who have been impacted to worry about as they recover.

“They can do whatever it is they need to do, and that could be shopping, that could be dealing with insurance, we’re here to help take that burden off of them,” said Megan Westheider, disaster relief team member with Matthew 25: Ministries.

Operation BBQ Relief is set up with hot meals in front of the Walmart, as well as in front of Hart Baptist Church near the hard-hit Sunshine Hills neighborhood.

While the food is brought in, volunteers are members of the Laurel County community.

“We feel like we provide a vehicle by cooking, but it takes the local community to help support the local community and feed those people,” said Steve Anderson, area coordinator with Operation BBQ Relief.

Volunteers say they are looking for tarps and bins to give to tornado survivors so they can work to pack up any belongings that can be retrieved from the rubble.