Volunteers offer time to support recovery efforts in Hardin County

HARDIN COUNTY, Tenn. — Almost two weeks after the winter storm people are still trying to recover from mass power outages in West Tennessee.

People across Hardin County felt the impact of the winter storms, which left thousands without power.

As lineman and utility crews have been working to restore power, particularly to the rural areas of the county, many are still struggling to meet their basic needs.

Disaster response teams, local emergency services, as well as members of the community have been working together to help.

“We’re out here today serving hot food and encouragement with lots of smiles, we know that folks here have had a very difficult time and we’ve been deployed here as a part of salvation army to help serve hot food, emotional, spiritual care, and a number of other things just to help and encourage and   be a part of folks getting back on their feet,” said Wayde Normandin, disaster resource manager for the Salvation Army.

Volunteer Debbie Baker is working to help others and bring attention to others in the community who are also volunteering their time and efforts.

“I came in from another county to help out, but when I got here elementary teachers, high school teachers, administrators were here and had been hot footing it for a week in the midst of the storm before I even got here. Their work, their ability to pull their community together, I mean they were doing fourteen, sixteen hour days, while at home they had no power,” said Baker.

Alongside teachers and staff, students have also shown up to move boxes, serve food and help where they can.

The students working in front of the Hardin County High School warming shelter were from Harbert Hills and spent some of their snow days serving their community.

For information about warming shelters or volunteer opportunities, click here.

For more Hardin County news, click here.