FLEMING-NEON, Ky. (WYMT) – On Saturday, Operation Letcher County Recovery hosted a coat drive, giving out lunch to flood survivors in Fleming Neon.
With the help of several other organizations, Garry Conley said they all came together to help folks who are still in need.
“I understand there’s still several people who don’t have good refrigeration, adequate refrigeration. They don’t have food storage facilities, no room to store food. A lot of them are still eating out of cans cold food or pre-prepared food and a hot meal is something special for them,” he said.
Tonya Charlton is the founder of David’s Legacy and members have helped in Neon since the flood.
She said families are still needing items such as clothes.
“So, the blankets, the shoes, that was one thing she said they need shoes so badly. So, the blankets, the shoes, the coats, all of the things that they need, we brought that stuff last year, we brought that stuff this year. But they do, they continue to need, like you said, kids grow,” she explained.
Fleming Neon Middle School Principal David Robinson said the group has been there since the flood, helping in any way they can.
“Once the flood was over, after the first six to eight weeks, it kind of went away and Garry and First Baptist Church of London has continued on for a year now,” said Robinson. “A lot of people, especially up and down Neon here, they lost everything and them bringing clothes in and bringing coats in, it’s just a tremendous, tremendous help to the people here in Neon.”
Conley said these meals can go a long way for folks.
“So many people have said, ‘You don’t know what this means to us, you don’t understand what you’re doing for us.’ I do know what it means, I do understand what we’re doing, that’s exactly why we’re doing it, we want to make a difference. We want to give hope, we want to give help in the best way we can,” he said.
He said they will continue to come, adding that they will even bring carpenters with them next time to help rebuild some homes.
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