The Mayfield Fraternal Order of Eagles set up their supply distribution center in the week after the December tornado outbreak. Now they’re scheduled to close it up at the end of March.
The Fraternal Order of Eagles is a nonprofit organization that does a variety of different charity work throughout the year. Their motto is “People Helping People” and Lisa Pritchard, secretary for the Mayfield chapter, said that’s what they have been doing since the tornadoes hit.
“We have received donations from around the United States from our other Eagle aeries from clothing, food, toys, blankets, pillows, heaters, extension cords, lots of baby items, formula, food, car seats,” Pritchard said. “You name it, it’s been donated.”
The Mayfield Eagles set up the back room of their building for donations. The room, along with three semi-truck trailers, is full of donated items. The group has kept the space open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday since they got set up. The Eagles have also received monetary donations from other aeries.
“We are turning around and reaching out to the people affected by the tornado, a lot of them that have not and are not qualified to get help from (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) or Red Cross,” Pritchard said. “And we are actually donating all the money we received back to the community.”
Pritchard said according to the Mayfield Eagle’s ledger, they’ve helped about 100 people with monetary assistance for whatever they might need.
The Mayfield Eagles voted at one of their meetings to have their distribution center shut down by Mar. 31. Whatever they have left to distribute at that point, they’re going to take to other organizations that will still have their distribution centers open. Pritchard said the Eagles have had two main volunteers working the distribution center and it’s absolutely worn them out.
Steve Daniels is one of the volunteers who has been working at the Eagle’s distribution center.
He and one of the other volunteers aren’t totally on the same page as the Board of Trustees about shutting down the distribution center.
“We wanted it to stay open as long as they need it because some people are just now getting into homes and they’re coming in and they’re getting stuff to put in their closest and every place else,” Daniels said. “And after that, I don’t know where to send them for that stuff.”
Daniels is worried that the support that’s available for people affected by the tornadoes now won’t be available as time goes on. More and more groups are stopping their supply distribution help and Daniels thinks that it’s going to take a lot longer for people to get the help they need than places will be open to help them.
“There's hundreds of people that still don't have homes and lost everything they had,” Daniels said. “They're gonna need the help on down the line. This place stays busy from ten to four everyday but Sunday. And it's just a shame. I think it's a shame that we're going to end it. I don't want to see it end.”
Tracey Kenson is the aerie’s worthy president of the Mayfield Fraternal Order of Eagles. She said part of the reason the group voted to set a closing date for the distribution center is because they don’t want their primary volunteers to be overwhelmed, even if they say they want to keep going.
“There's only two people – two of our members – that have been there from day one, and they keep saying, ‘Well, we're not tired, we're not tired,’” Kenson said. “It has to be wearing on them to be doing it day after day.”
There have been other volunteers helping Daniels when they can, Kenson said, but it’s not been as much or incredibly consistent. The Mayfield Eagles also need their back room back so they can return to some of their regular events, like their Tuesday night cornhole tournament, so they can pay their bills.
‘We will continue to distribute this until Mar. 31, and everyone is welcome,” Kenson said. “Anyone that was affected by the tornado is very welcome to come and get everything they need, and we'll be happy to help them.”
Liam Niemeyer contributed to this reporting.
