BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
Photo Cutline: Just a very small peek at donations that came in Saturday to the EAN.
It has been a very busy Sunday so far, but I have a moment to sit down and I want to share a few things with you.
Out there among you are some angels. Truly. You may be walking around disguised as humans, but there are some amazing people, and while I may not name you specifically in this article, we both know who you are.
So as this Hurricane Sally came into our everyday lives this past week, with so much uncertainty as to how bad she would be, I was already being contacted by people who wanted to help. It didn’t matter where it landed, they wanted to be ready in case.
Sally arrived and made her mark on the Gulf Coast, leaving behind disaster, but fortunately few fatalities.
I put the word out on my personal social media, and later the Elmore/Autauga News pages asking for donations. The original plan was to help Dauphin Island, the small barrier island on our coast, and one of the best kept secrets in our state, in my opinion.
On Saturday I sat up at the news office as the angels came to visit. One by one, they came toting bags, boxes, cleaning supplies, cash money, checks, just wanting to help in any way possible. As the front office filled up with donations at times I was overwhelmed, but in a good way.
There was an older man who drove up and carried in a mop. “I am sorry I can’t do more….I just wanted to do something.” My eyes were stinging as I watched him drive back on to Main Street. I know there was a story there….but more donations were coming in right behind his.
A woman came in with bags of dog and cat food. “You know, someone has to think about those animals, too.”
It hadn’t occurred to me to eat breakfast, and I knew I couldn’t leave. I was just going to soldier through, but my friend showed up with lunch, and stayed the rest of the day with me greeting and thanking everyone, helping to carry things inside the office.
We had great visits with people, so many of which I knew after being here almost 20 years, but a lot of new faces that I now consider a friend. Many of them I had never met face to face, but they are my friend on social media. Always good to put a face to a name.
So, the plan was to load up everything in another friend’s covered horse trailer and take it down to the island Sunday. I locked up the office, and headed home, but I found my truck turning into the American Legion Post 133. It was a pretty significant tap on my shoulder, you could say. Just a gut feeling.
We had been abundantly blessed with cash donations, and I knew the Legion was having their own donation drive.
I turned over $300 in cash to them to share the wealth. Commander Leslie Looney was thrilled. She had heard there was a desperate need for diapers in the area around Mobile where they were focusing their efforts. She was off to the store to go make some purchases.
When I arrived home I contacted my folks on the island and learned good news! Electricity and water had been restored, and things were GREAT, or at least really good considering. It was suggested that we should donate the items to smaller communities or other areas still suffering.
So I thought about our plan and how it had changed. Sure, we could have still loaded up and drive to the worst areas without a plan, and hand out supplies as we found people. But it just didn’t make much sense to me to do that. I contacted the American Legion again, and learned they are taking an 18-wheeler down to the Mobile area. They said YES, they would take our supplies, and they are working with other Legion Posts to get those supplies into the right hands.
Today I met with the Post 133 folks, transferred all of our supplies over as well as cash so they can buy more of whatever is needed. It will soon be headed down to those who need it most, with an organized plan to distribute.
There are so many of you out there that stepped up to help. I was receiving money from all around the country, as well as locally and ALL of that money will be spent on hurricane relief. Some donations were directed specifically to a family with five children who are now homeless. They will be getting those funds this week, as well as a business that suffered some damage that area folks love. They wanted to make sure there was something just for them.
And Marty Bean….with the Front Porch Grill in Millbrook. I could say so many wonderful things about that man, his wife, his staff and the business in general. Whenever I have a “project” Marty is always the first in line to say, “What do you need? What can we do?” And he never wants credit, and probably won’t like I mentioned his name. But there you have it!
I am just reminded that God placed us here almost 20 years ago, with the thought it was only temporary, and within three years we would be transferred somewhere else. As I often say, Man Plans and God Laughs. And I am so glad He laughed. I love our community, our people, and I know the angels when I see them.
Thank you. Bless you. I know there will be other “projects” down the line, and I know that there is a community here in Autauga and Elmore counties that will stand up, show up, and give whatever they are able.
May everyone have blessings on this Sunday. I am full to the brim with them, and my heart is full, indeed.
Sarah Stephens can be reached at editorsarah@yahoo.com.
