Elliott Jost holds up a shirt her mother, Diana, left, designed to help benefit cleanup efforts as her sister, Mary Margaret looks on in Ringgold, Ga., May 24, 2011. (AP Photo/The Daily Citizen, Misty Watson)DALTON, Ga.-Can a T-shirt rebuild a town?
In Ringgold, Ga.’s case, it’s certainly helping.
After a powerful tornado tore through Catoosa County, killing eight and leaving behind massive destruction, Ringgold native Diana Jost began brainstorming for ways to help. A freelance graphic artist, Jost decided to design and sell an inspirational T-shirt with proceeds going to tornado relief.
“I felt like I was really limited as to what I could do to help the people in town,” said Jost, a graduate of Ringgold High School. “I knew that I couldn’t donate massive amounts of money – I don’t have it – and physical labor I could do, but it’s just tough with the kids in tow. I woke up and thought, ‘I’m so stupid. I’m a graphic designer. I can design something, maybe.’ So the T-shirt idea came to my head.”
So far, Jost estimates about 2,000 T-shirts have been sold. Each shirt is $12, with $8 of each purchase going to Poplar Springs Baptist Church in Ringgold. She doesn’t have the exact amount raised so far because some people have donated money above the cost of the shirts.