TAZEWELL, Va. -The recent storm’s wind and rain had an impact on the community, taking out power for many and leaving destruction, including the destruction of many supplies of refrigerated or frozen food.
When Lewis Shrader, a former area resident, found out about those in the area left struggling after the storm, he decided to do his part to help his former home, turning to his church, West Park Church of Christ, in Portsmouth, Virginia (near Virginia Beach) to supply that mission.
“Why, I had spoke to the Chief the first of the week and I just asked him, you know, say, ‘Are people in need? Is the power off…’ He said yes. I went to my church and I said, ‘Hey, these people… they need things…’” says Shrader.
And West Park Church of Christ came through, gathering a trailer full of shelf-stable food, as well as things like diapers, pet food, and around 125 cases of bottled water for the people of the Tazewell County area.
The Tazewell Police Department provided support and a location, a former bank and soon-to-be new location of the department, to distribute the goods to the community.
Chief Stanley Lampert, Tazewell’s Chief of Police, says having support from the other side of the state like this is “amazing.”
“No matter what your need is, if you have a need, we have it here. It is unreal the food that this gentleman and his family has brought to our community to help our people in need,” says Chief Lampert.
Shrader says this is more than a chance to help those in need, but a way to pay back the good that was shown to him when he lived here and show support for an area that he says is often overlooked.
“I was raised here. Kind of going back to your roots, you know? You don’t forget the people. I know the people. I know everyone was hit by the storm. I understand that, but sometimes these areas kind of fall through the cracks, you know what I mean? …Y’all don’t get the recognition that everybody else does, so anything that you can do to help, jump in, do what you can,” says Shrader.
Shrader gives credit to his church family for their immense support, calling them some of the finest people on earth and saying they responded to his call to action “at a moment’s notice.”
Chief Lampert says there will be another food giveaway at the location this week. He says a lady has donated free hotdog meals to the community and those will be given out on Monday at the old bank on Hillsboro Drive.
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