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Rep. Jim Hackworth - House District 33
IMMEDIATE RELEASE May
6, 2010
House Members Encourage
Tennesseans Across State
To Help Those In Need
Opportunities to showcase
“Volunteer Spirit” abound
in areas hardest hit by floods
NASHVILLE (May 6) –
This week State Representative Jim Hackworth (D-Clinton) and
members of the House of Representatives urged all residents of Tennessee
to show their “Volunteer Spirit” and do their part to help those
suffering after last week’s devastating floods.
"For some of us the waters
never came, but many of our fellow citizens endured one of the worst
natural disasters in our state’s recent history," said Hackworth.
"As Tennesseans, we must reach out a hand to those in need and show the
rest of this nation why it is they call Tennessee the Volunteer State."
As of May 5, the Tennessee
Emergency Operations Center reported a total of 20 confirmed fatalities,
with half those occurring in Davidson County. It is estimated that
the Coast Guard and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency rescued
nearly 600 in middle Tennessee since the weather event. Statewide
the Red Cross reports opening 28 shelters with the potential for 10
additional shelters if necessary. While populations in the
shelters continue to change daily, many shelters in Nashville have
reported being at maximum capacity.
“Though the waters may
finally be receding, the work to clean up and rebuild has just begun,”
said Hackworth. “We must come together to help our
neighbors in need, donating both our time and our money to helping our
fellow Tennesseans begin to rebuild what they lost.”
The federal government has
authorized major disaster declarations for 8 Tennessee counties
(Cheatham, Davidson, Hickman, McNairy, Perry, Shelby, Tipton and
Williamson). Governor Phil Bredesen has asked President
Obama to declare a total of 52 counties federal disaster areas
following the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that struck the
state beginning Friday, April 30.
Residents who have not
been directly impacted by the recent weather are encouraged to donate to
local relief organizations or national organizations like the Red Cross.
To donate using your cell phone, just text the word “REDCROSS” to the
90999 and your cell phone provider will add $10 to your next phone bill
to go to relief efforts in Tennessee.
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