The beginning of "Charcoal, Meat, and Blessings"

Monday, March 5, I had to 'reset.'
Town was still closed. No entry. (Damage was so extensive, power lines were down, water lines were still being shut down, debris was overwhelming and there were understandable concerns about looting). The outlying areas did not have power either, and there were no stores open.
Gripe if you will, but I am a 'dirty smoker.' I know it is a nasty habit, but it is what it is... and I was out of cigarettes. My Dad had already gone through my desk and found the 'emergency pack.' Now, it was a true disaster situation. (Please forgive me for trying to make light of some aspects. Humor is often the only way for me get through some things). We were almost out of coffee and propane on which to boil the water for the coffee. *Disaster Situation* Dad and I needed to head out of town for supplies. We headed for Winchester, KY and Wal-Mart. We stopped at the first store with cigarettes and chain smoked the rest of the way. We talked a lot, but we also had large pockets of silence. While right in the middle of it, comprehension is fought for... understanding of the severity of the situation feels like it just hasn't hit yet.
We gathered our supplies and headed back for West Liberty. When we returned, we had power and internet... for a couple of hours... Those couple of hours allowed me to get online and let folks know I was ok... and to see that I had a LOT of questions from old school friends who moved away and wanted to help, but had no clue how to do so.
West Liberty is one of those sleepy, little towns that the ambitious can't wait to leave. My entire childhood into young adulthood, that was the goal. To "get out." To go somewhere where I could be something. Most of my friends growing up did the same thing. We were spread all over the state and across the nation. I came back - that is another story for another time... But, I was being contacted by so many people with resources and know-how... just no idea what to do with either in order to help. I didn't know, either... and realized perhaps that was my role at that time: Start putting people in touch with each other.
We lost power again Monday night, but were awakened by the power coming back on in the early morning on Tuesday. My former classmates and I started networking. Older and younger siblings of my graduating class were contacting me. I was in the war zone. They were still outside of it, not being allowed entry.
I was struggling with how to accomplish ANYTHING... An online friend suggested I talk with a friend of his from Joplin who went through the same thing... She, in turn, suggested a group called Toomer's for Tuscaloosa (T4T) may be able to offer some advice. I posted on the T4T Facebook page that I was one person wanting to help and did they have any suggestions? A woman replied, "Call me" with her phone number listed. I looked at my screen and thought, "It is 11:30 at night, I do not know you, no way I am going to call. Twenty minutes later, the same woman posted again, "I know you aren't sleeping. Call me." So, I did. That woman was Holly Hart Shirley, CEO of T4T. Within three hours, she had me comforted and on a mission. She created the Crockett/Moon tornado disaster relief page on Facebook. She made me a part of the T4T organization. We were in 'business.'
To make a REALLY long story short, I worked in the Crockett/Moon area those first couple of weeks. Other groups reached out to help, to come cook for the displaced and volunteers, to help tarp, to bring food, to bring supplies... all of it was so amazing. Thursday, the 8th, a group came in from a neighboring county and cooked and brought so much food... their own tables... county officials and ministers to help cook and serve. (I mention these details for a reason - keep them in mind lol)
As distribution centers began tiring very quickly, an incredible woman, her husband, her son, and her daughter-in-law opened up their buildings and land to use as a distribution center. The first weekend, what is now a new group of friends came in from Columbus, OH with supplies and helped set up the distribution point and clothing trailer. A group in Louisville raised $1500 in a matter of hours via Facebook to buy supplies. Truckloads were brought in from other distribution centers. I felt that was where I was supposed to be. The group that had cooked on the 8th contacted me because they wanted to come cook again. They contacted me on the 14th of March regarding the following week. By this point, the relief situation in Crockett/Moon was hard to discern. School was going to be back in session the following week. There was no centralized information source being publicized regarding where relief/distribution centers were or their hours of operation. I told the group I would have to find them a place in West Liberty and would help coordinate having meals driven out into the county into Woodsbend, Ezel, and Crockett as those areas were severely damaged. I kept working in Crockett/Moon and feeling guilty that I would be spending a day in West Liberty the following week.
However, over that weekend, the weariness and exhaustion of the less than perfect arrangement of having their personal space being used for public distribution was showing on the amazingly good-hearted folks I had been working with in that area. We tried to keep going.
I had been publicizing the amazing food the group from the 8th would be back to cook on the 22nd. I arranged for them to grill in the Advance Auto parking lot. I received a text message at 3 pm on the 21st saying they could not make it, but perhaps the next week. I was disheartened. I had told all these people there would be food... and now there would be none. That didn't work for me.
I got on Facebook and started begging for ANY help... any food... explaining the situation. Two angels pooled their money and bought 500 hot dogs and buns. The Bank of the Mountains offered use of their grill... potato chips were donated... we had one day's worth of food for volunteers, workers, and the displaced. It was amazing and humbling... THIS was the beginning of "Charcoal, Meat, and Blessings." I just didn't know that yet.