Hickory Bend is quite busy helping those affected by flooding in our area.  Here is a quick ( very quick) update from what I know.  We have to get going back to Brother Gary’s as soon as possible.  Others have more information.

Mrs. Bobbie is cooking for Engine 28, the Donelson Fire Station crew.  She is taking food over there this evening.  Call her if you want to pitch in.  So far, I know she has ribs, baked beans, cornbread, cole slaw, and dessert.

Monday a young man called from the Stewarts Ferry apartments.  The water was rising, and they had to move their cars.  Some people were evacuated.  He was calling to ask permission to park in our parking lot.  I checked with David and Jim B. to make sure it wouldn’t be a problem.  They agreed that I should open the gravel parking lot.  I spoke with several people who were parking their cars.  They were very frazzelled, but very grateful for a safe place to park their cars above the flood.  Later that night, the girls and I put notes of encouragement (attached), bottles of water and energy bars on their windshields.

Meanwhile, Jeannie learned of a need to help the residents of Heartland who were evacuated Monday night to Donelson Church of Christ.  She discovered that they needed help making beds at Heartland.  A small contingent of the youth group met her there to make beds.  We helped her wash beds and nightstands and make beds for one floor when we found out Brother Gary was ready to empty his garage.  We hated to leave Heartland with so much still to do there, but we thought we were needed even more at Brother Gary and Darla’s house.  We were so glad to see Sissy arriving at Heartland as we were leaving.

Brother Gary’s house took a terrible toll.  Their garage and three more rooms downstairs were completely flooded almost up to the ceiling.  David and the youth group met there yesterday to clean out the garage and to start clearing out the first of the three rooms.  We may have saved a few books, but hundreds of books, keepsakes, musical instruments, and the collections of a lifetime are heaped on a pile of garbage.  It is truly heartbreaking. We made good progress, but there is still a lot to do.

Brother Gary is very concerned about Janet, Rose’s family, the Walls, Tillman, Judy, Gale, and so many others.  There is very little cell phone service in Bellevue, so he is not able to keep in touch with us as he wants to do. I think he is planning to be at church tonight, but that may not be realistic.