Pike steps up to help tornado victims

Pike County citizens have reached out in many ways to help victims of the destructive and deadly tornados that hit in Lee County, Alabama and in parts of Georgia and Florida – including Talbotton. Two tornadoes hit Lee County, Alabama March 3, killing 23 people and destroying homes and businesses before the storm traveled into Georgia, touching down in several areas, including Talbotton where dozens of homes were damaged by falling trees and high winds and several people were injured. It was the deadliest day for tornadoes in the U.S. since May of 2013, according to the National Weather Service. Heavy damage can be seen just blocks from the Talbot County courthouse with power lines down for miles and a storm shelter set up at the town’s high school. Members of the Pike County High School Pirates football team invited citizens to donate supplies for the families affected by the tornado in Talbotton. Then they delivered the supplies to the small town where destruction hit so suddenly. ’When we lost Dylan Thomas, Talbot County was there to reach out and show us support and we want to be there for them when help is needed,’ said Pirates head coach Brad Webber. ‘We want to give a big thank you to all those who contributed to the Talbotton tornado relief. Downtown was so badly destroyed but people were so appreciative of the supplies.” Local members of the American Red Cross of Georgia visited the most damaged areas of the state after Talbot, Harris and Grady counties were declared in a state of emergency. Teri Totten of Williamson spent several days doing damage assessments in the areas hit hardest by the tornadoes. Jim Totten helped with the shelters in Talbot and Grady counties. ’We have setup a headquarters in Columbus and our teams are working with government and faith-based organizations to meet critical needs,’ said Teri. ‘Damage assessments will continue and we will begin distributing emergency supplies to residents soon. We have an amazing team on the ground and I am so proud of the job they are doing!’