The Great Smoky Mountain Journal

Staff, Wire Reports

Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2018 07:27 PM

Grainger County Group Sends Christmas Trees To Texas For Hurricane Harvey Victims

GRAINGER COUNTY, Tenn. (SOURCE: WVLT) -- When Hurricane Harvey flooded the streets of Texas communities, thousands of people were forced from their homes.

"Cars were buried, homes were flooded," Jim McWhorter said to local news outlets. "You could see the look on their faces, 'Oh my God, I don't have anything left.'"

McWhorter and a small team of people bought an air boat, left Grainger County and traveled 1,000 miles to help out.

"We went in and got people out that were knee-deep in the water and took them to the staging areas," McWhorter said.

Those staging areas were where Alisa Howerton noticed volunteers sorting donations of socks and underwear into two piles.

"When I asked her, she said that she was going to put them back as Christmas gifts," Howerton said. "She was afraid that there would not be any money leftover for Christmas gifts."

After the storm, the team came home, but they left a piece of their hearts in Texas.

"At that point, I thought it would be great to be able to bring some toys down there so kids could have a Christmas this year," Howerton said.

The idea of bringing a few toys back to Texas grew into a bigger plan—a plan that used Dale Moles' trailer.

"We drug it out of the bushes, put some tires on it, and we're Texas bound," Moles said.

With the trailer in place, the group formed their mission, collecting toys for Texas.

"We want to fill it to the top, that was one my things," Moles said.

"That's my expectation, that's where my faith is, that that truck will be full," Howerton said.

Even though the water receded in Texas, the damage has been done.

"You have no idea who they are, and you'll probably never see them again, it's just the idea of people helping people in times of problems," McWhorter explained.

If you'd like to help the group collect Toys for Texas, donations will be accepted through Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017. Collection locations include the following:

• Bean Station:
Citizens Bank & Trust Co. of Grainger County
Grainger Today
Norris
Sexton Furniture

• Mooresburg:
Summers-Taylor, Inc.

• Blaine:
Citizens Bank & Trust Co. of Grainger County
Food City

• Jefferson City:
Jefferson City Police Department
Jefferson City Fire Department

• Mooresburg:
Summers-Taylor, Inc.

• Morristown:
Jordan Taylor Home Funishings
Main Attraction Salon

• Rogersville:
Summers-Taylor, Inc.

• Rutledge:
Citizens Bank & Trust Co. of Grainger County
Clayton Homes
Grainger Baptist Association
Grainger High School (Beta Club and FCA)
Ridgeview Terrace of LifeCare
Rutledge Middle School (FCA)

• Tazewell:
Bushline Furniture

• Washburn:
Dollar General

For more information, contact Alisa Howerton at 423-231-0424.