Battlefield Parkway Church of the Nazarene is collecting food, bottled water, tarps, baby items and more for tornado victims in Ringgold. Front from left are Micki Arp, Thomas Dykes, Christie Kelly, Tammy Grimes, Sydney Quinn, Kevin Quinn, Steve Mingus and Brian Trundle. Back from left are Tracy Arp, Brad Kuebler, Jacob Grimes and Anthony Grimes. The volunteers are loading this transfer truck that travels to Ringgold Telephone Company to drop off items, and then volunteers take items to residents.
Photo by Katie WardVolunteers will be collecting donations at Battlefield Parkway Church of the Nazarene in Fort Oglethorpe to be delivered to Ringgold Telephone Company and distributed to tornado survivors.
The team will be in the church parking lot next door to Fort Oglethorpe's Walmart all day Wednesday and hope to find a truck to continue collecting items Thursday.
"Everything we collect goes to Ringgold," said church volunteer Christie Kelly, of Ringgold. "We need tarps. It's the No. 1 thing needed to cover homes in the event of rain. We also need bottled water, cleaning supplies, work gloves, garbage bags, food, nonperishable items, baby items, hygiene products, juices and canned meats."
She said Ringgold United Methodist Church is feeding local tornado survivors three meals per day and needs donations too.
Kelly lives off Poplar Springs Road with her husband and two children.
"My backyard was destroyed by the tornado," she said. "We had six trees uprooted."
Kelly said she was in the closet with family when the tornado hit. She said it lasted five minutes.
"Everyone has a co-worker, family member or friend that lost something due to the tornado," she said. "We are trying to help and do what we can."
• Battlefield Parkway Church of the Nazarene, at 3220 Battlefield Parkway in Fort Oglethorpe, can be reached at (706) 866-9838.