Since March, many businesses throughout the Cleveland area were deemed non-essential, a tornado destroyed many homes in Onalaska, and a church in Tarkington was providing food for at least 3,000 a week. Seeing how these situations were impacting the community, Rotarians in District 5910 and the Rotary Club of Cleveland wanted to do something to help.
“We received $500-plus from Rotary District 5910. We asked our club members to make recommendations on who would receive the funds. Our members came up with three worthy suggestions: Center of Hope Polk County, Rural Shade Baptist Church, and Good Promotions,” said Tommie Daniel, Cleveland Rotary Club secretary and spokesperson.
On Wednesday, May 20, the Rotary Club of Cleveland presented each with a check for $500.
At the Center of Hope Polk County, Jim Mayland says the money will be used to assist those whose houses were either destroyed or badly damaged due to the tornado. According to his figures, approximately 40 percent of households in Onalaska were uninsured.
At Rural Shade Baptist Church – Tarkington, Pastor Brad Dancer leads the congregation as they provide food to those that live in the Tarkington area. The church plans to use the money to build a pantry building that will help them as they continue to feed approximately 3,000 people per week.
Good Promotions owner Kristi Harris created a T-shirt program to help businesses that had been deemed non-essential. Articles on Good Promotions’ hopeful messages to the community were posted on Bluebonnet News. Harris reports that she sold more than 300 shirts at a cost of $10 per shirt. The money was used to give 30 non-essential businesses $100 each.