"A lot of people who didn't have flood insurance, because they never thought floodwaters would ever come anywhere near their home, are really looking at a total loss of their home," Bredesen (Tennessee Governor) said. "It's very tough on a lot of people right now" We are Tennesseans. We have suffered a great catastrophe. On May 1st flood waters rose to an all time high, we received 1/3 of our annual rainfall in just two days. Josh Landtroop was the first casualty of this disaster, he was swept away by roaring floodwaters as he tried to get home to his two young sons. There have been more. Untold thousands are without power, our water supply is questionable, many of our historic places likely destroyed, many of us are homeless and in shelters and the shelters are full, entire subdivisions will probably be bulldozed, many of us are now jobless since our places of business are under water and we are a little worried about disease. Never have we, in this area seen such damage. For those who have lost loved ones, we can only pray and give comfort. For those who have lost physical belongings, we can help. We are Tennesseans. We rise to the occasion, we show our true colors, we are the best and the brightest. We are the Volunteer State. The boat rescues that you have seem on television and on YouTube are not, for the most part, organized by Fema, Tema or any government authority. They are mostly run by good old boys with bass boats and common sense. These are the guys who brought people out of the flood, at risk to themselves. These same guys have set up the routes into and out of the flooded areas and are ferrying people back and forth to their homes. They didn't even take any money for the boat ride. People bought ice and water and sent them to afflicted areas on the boats. These people are spending money out of their own pockets. People in flooded areas who had charcoal gathered food and had neighborhood bar-b-ques to feed everyone. Neighbors went frpm house to house and sprayed other neighbors down with bug spray, the mosquitoes are fierce here. People are opening their homes for victims of the flood. Hundreds of people filled sandbags and stacked them to save Metro Center from the river. Most of them did not work there or have any vested in the area. They just wanted to help. People are bringing generators to neighborhoods without power. Strangers are reaching out and helping strangers; tearing out drywall, walls and floors, hauling trash, giving comfort. There has been few incidents of looting.
Others may ask where is the government? Where is the help we need? The answer is, it is coming, we have been declared a federal disaster area. But the wheels of government grind slowly and we need help now. We are Tennesseans. We will pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, roll up our sleeves and help ourselves and our neighbors and our families and total strangers. Anderson Cooper was in Nashville and he said he had never seen people jump in to solve problems like the people in Nashville. He was amazed, I am not. I expected us to take the bull by the horns and get the job done. And we are doing that, we just need a little help.
To that end we are setting up a relief fund. The money will go to friends and relatives and strangers that need help now. We cannot wait for the government to help us. Many of us remember how slow the help came in New Orleans and how spotty it was when it did come. There are still blue tarps on roofs in New Orleans almost five years after Katrina.
The money we raise will go to the woman in Bellevue who lost everything on the first floor of her house, her appliances, her furniture, her rugs, everything. The walls of her condo were covered in mud, the floors were covered with mud and bugs and great big worms. All the drywall had to be removed, and the insulation too. It will all have to be replaced. What is not ruined by the water and mud are contaminated by the tainted waters. Think about replacing everything in your house, your stove, your refrigerator, your blender, your pots, your pans, your televisions, your computers, your stereos, your furniture, your nic-nacs, pictures, mirrors, everything. She thought that she had flood insurance only to find out that she does not. There are 41 other families on her street that are in the same shape. None of them have flood insurance either.
The money will go to the family in Hermitage that likewise have lost everything on the first floor of their house and will have to replace all of it, after they replace the drywall and the insulation, and the carpets, and the floors and the sub-floors.
The money will go to the family in Donelson whose grandfather lives in an apartment in the basement of the family home. For two days water ran through that apartment and out the backdoor. He needs new walls.
The money will go to another family in Donelson whose entire first floor is destroyed, everything will have to be ripped out and replaced. All the furniture will have to be replaced.
The money will go to a couple who only had a one-story house, everything they own is gone. Their lives were washed away. All of their belongings are in the trash waiting to be picked up and carried to the dump.
The money will go to an elderly, disabled couple who have lost everything and whose insurance company told them they have no coverage.
The money will go to the family in Franklin who thankfully has only to replace two walls in their home. They are out helping others because they think their problems are so small.
Repair and replacement costs money and none of these people have flood insurance. It is not because they are negligent, or stupid or cheap. You can only get flood insurance if you live in a deemed flood area. Most of them do not live in a floodplain. We are Tennesseans, we help each other. Help us now. Donate $1 or $5 or $10 or $20. Give what you can. It will buy drywall, mud, tape, paint, insulation, appliances and more. It will help to rebuild the lives that have been washed out. For all of you who have said, "I wish I could help," here is your chance. You can do something. Do it today. You can be a hero.
We are working on our 501c3 status, but it costs a lot of money. Right now all the money that we are raising is going to buy drywall, insulation and other necessities for the flood victims.
