HCTC students feed 800 in West Liberty
The HCTC Student Activity Club, along with Student Engagement Advisor
Victor Gainer and Security officer Leonard Toler, took donated food, cleaning supplies,
water, and other items to Morgan County to provide lunch and dinner during a cook-out.
The people were really thankful and our students learned by going,
noted Gainer.
Student Tonya Joseph said a lot of the people told her they didn t
know where they were going to eat that day. I talked to an 80-year-old man who told
me the story of losing his wife and his home of forty years. It was very heart warming
and touching to be with the people of West Liberty that day.
Jewelene Johnson said she remembered going through West Liberty in
February and thinking it was the cutest little town and to now see all the destruction
was heart wrenching. They have lost so much; they don t have anything. Those also making the trip were Michelle Cornett, Brandi Pratt, Jared
Ballard, Lindsey Campbell, Jody Fugate, Ashley Stidham, Ashley Combs, and Justin Caldwell.
The students say they will go back to provide assistance. Student
Tonya Joseph made a plea, Even if you don t have money, you should go and try to
help them fix their homes back.
As Jewelene noted, What will happen in two months when people forget
about West Liberty. They really need manual laborers, they need cleaning supplies.
We just can t forget them.
It breaks your heart and it makes you grateful for what you have. Those are the
words of Hazard Community and Technical College student Jewelene Johnson who helped
feed 800 people on Saturday, March 31, in the tornado-stricken West Liberty.
