Rain leads to new needs in McNairy county

SELMER, Tenn. — Jack Duncan has been volunteering in Selmer for three days.

“Lots of trees down, and it reminds me of Hurricane Harvey. I was down there two years ago,” Duncan said.

For the past two days, he and other volunteers have been cutting up trees that fell during Saturday’s storms.

But with the rain that started Wednesday morning, they had a change of plans.

“We’re handing out tarps for the local EMA director here in McNairy County,” Duncan said.

Thanks to donations from local churches and TEMA, they’re able to help residents in McNairy County.

“Everybody needs prayers here,” Jimmy Griffin, a Selmer resident, said. “It’s been awful, you can’t get in or out hardly, it’s just been the past couple of days, people still without power.”

At the Selmer Civic Center on Wednesday, volunteers gave away tarps, gloves and tools to help clean up yards. But Duncan says there’s more to do than donate items to be given away.

“I’ve done everything from take out the trash to set up folding tables to sitting at the desk while someone takes a bathroom break,” Duncan said.

For any McNairy County resident in need, there are additional resources available at the Selmer Community Center on North 5th Street, including showers food and cots.