Chamber & Grand Lake Community Help Picher Victims

by Kristal Hodges - Director, Member Services

Hello again Grand Lakers. I’m a little lost on how to begin telling you about the wonderful thing that happened this past Saturday.

As many of you know, a tornado ripped through our neighboring town of Picher on Saturday, May 10.  Many families and many lives were affected by this tornado. I personally had family and friends that lost everything they had, as well as losing a very wonderful friend from my high school graduating class. I spent two days in Picher helping my sister-in-law go through what remained of her belongings and helping to clean things up in what was left of her house. After being there and seeing first hand what had happened, I wanted to help more. 

After I spoke with Jim a couple of Thursday evenings back I began to put together a disaster relief donation site. I made many phone calls and within an eight hour time span, had everything ready to go for Saturday, May 17. I wasn’t sure how well it would go on such short notice to the community, but I knew every little bit would help. To my pleasant surprise it went very, very well. 

I want to especially thank Charlie Scott, with Reasors in Langley. Charlie was very helpful with allowing us space to set up in the parking lot of the grocery store. He printed flyers of the items we needed and hung them on the doors. He also handed out extra copies for area businesses to place on their counters and doors. Secondly, I want to thank Wayne Crouse, with Bernice Sanitation, in Bernice, for loaning us his semi-truck, and Jason Long, with Greenwoods Recycling of Grove for loaning us his trailer. I would also like to extend a very grateful thank you to Gary VanPielt and Connie with the City of Bernice.

This was a joint effort between the Chamber and the City of Bernice. Most importantly, I would like to thank all the wonderful people in the Grand Lake community who stopped by and made a donation. We received monetary donations in the amount of $535.00. Those monies went to the Picher Fire Department, and for clothes, food, household items, toys, baby items, and much, much more. These donations will help the families start a new life. Without the kindness of each of you to step up and lend a hand we would not have been able to help these families. I also want to thank my husband and children for giving up a Saturday to help load and unload the many items that we received.

After eight hours of collecting the donations, we then had to deliver them. When I arrived in Picher and met with the guys working at the fire department they were more than grateful for what we had done. As they helped us unload the items we had taken in, which covered the entire floor of the large trailer, they were very surprised.

When everything was finished and we were ready to head home the gentlemen stopped me and one by one, they each shook my hand and said to let each and every one of you know that, “This really meant a lot to them and thank you so much.”

So, in closing my addition to the column this week, I want to say once again, THANK YOU for helping me and Gary make this a great success. I am very proud to be a part of such a wonderful and caring community.

Have a GRAND weekend!

Kristal Hodges

Member Services Director