GOOD SAM GIVES BACK IN WAVERLY, TENNESSEE
- Rachael Johnson
- September 2021
- Waverly, Tennessee
- September 2021
- Tennessee Flooding Victims
“What do you think made your mother so strong in those moments when her house was overtaken by floodwater?”, I asked. He replied, “She is 84, takes care of my disabled siblings, and has always been strong. She pulled them above the flood waters in the house. She said it was like looking out of a fish bowl, and it all happened so fast. I just don’t know how she did it.”
That conversation at a family’s home destroyed by the floods in Waverly, Tennessee affected us deeply. To look around at the miles and miles of devastation was overwhelming. But to this family, and many other families, their entire world was taken from them in a matter of hours. It was an honor and a privilege to be just a small part of the recovery efforts here for the day, and this Good Sam Giveback was one that we will never forget.
On August 21, 2021, meteorologists measured more than 17 inches of rain. At least 22 people and countless animals lost their lives. In less than 24 hours, the Tennessee record for one-day rainfall was exceeded by more than 3 inches, according to the National Weather Service. These are all just statistics. But to see the devastation in person was different. More than just homes and businesses were lost here. Worlds were lost here.
Waverly, Tennessee is centered on the junction of U.S. Route 70, which connects the city to Nashville to the east and Memphis to the west With other weather events causing damage across the country, it may be easy to forget the flood victims of Waverly, Tennessee. But beyond recovery efforts, there will be rebuilding efforts. This includes not just buildings, but people rebuilding their lives who have lost jobs, vehicles and direction!
Good Sam recognizes the need of this community, and did not hesitate to send us with Shawn Parr, who hosts the nationally syndicated show, “Shawn Parr’s Across the Country” to Waverly. Shawn loaded up his Camping World RV with much needed supplies for the community including water, toiletries, cleaning supplies and food. We loaded up our truck with coolers full of supplies as well, including clothing, hand sanitizers and masks. But this was just the beginning.
We stopped at the highly organized volunteer center to get what we needed for a full day of work. We were told of a local, elderly woman who was a priority for us. Having elderly grandparents that I miss very much, I immediately felt a connection to this resident whose family calls her Granny. We made a side trip first to unload our donated items from Good Sam, and to also survey the warehouses full of supplies including pet food and clothing from surrounding communities and beyond. Supplies may have been the focal point here, but the love and cooperation among the volunteers here was stacked even higher than supplies.
Among the stacks of food for people were also pallets of food for horses, cows, dogs and cats. The local shelters here have pulled together and have worked together to help reunite lost animals with their families and to unfortunately help identify ones who did not survive, in order to give those families some type of closure. But to hear stories of animals that ended up miles away from their homes and survived gave us all hope.
After touring the supply distribution grounds, we headed back to our vehicles and were escorted to just one of the devastated areas. Seeing the floods on the news did not prepare us for the magnitude of these flooded neighborhoods. The piles and piles of homes ravaged by the floods were stacked by the streets. The smell of despair and standing water, combined with the heat of a summer day was simply a lot to take in. But until we stepped into Granny’s home, I don’t think that we realized what had truly happened here in just a matter of hours…and minutes.
Granny’s house was simply a shell covered in soaked clothes, photo albums and memories. We were told that our first step was to remove everything from inside the home. Anything that we felt could be saved such as pictures would be stacked for the family to go through. As we put on our gloves and masks, this task seemed to be overwhelming. But we all pulled together as a Good Sam team and we got the job done! It was hot, humid and dirty. But being together made us feel good that we could help someone that we didn’t even know. This could have happened to any of us or our family members. And we felt overjoyed in the midst of disaster that we could be just a very small part of getting this family and this community back on their feet. We spent all day in Granny’s house and periodically walked to Trace Creek right behind her home. What a beautiful creek. What can happen in an instance was made apparent by uprooted trees and uprooted lives.
Community extends beyond our hometown. Being full-time in an RV with our two dogs gives us a feeling of community wherever we go! Being able to make a difference while traveling is rewarding in a way unmatched by a simple vacation. Spending just one day in Waverly, Tennessee was exhausting not just in a physical way, but in a mental way too. However, the spirit that Waverly, Tennessee has to help not just people but the animals in this community too was inspiring. We also felt a sense of belonging in our Good Sam and Camping World family that we were able to plan this giveback in order to make just a small difference.
The recovery and rebuilding efforts will go on for quite some time in Waverly, Tennessee. Volunteers are desperately needed, along with monetary donations and gas cards. Gas cards will be used after recovery when residents need to go back to work or to find a job.