It’s been one year since a historic and deadly tornado outbreak swept through western Kentucky, and a Marshall County group hopes to make Saturday a day of reverence.
The Marshall County Long Term Recovery Group is hosting a service where children affected by the tornado can receive a free gift from Santa Claus and a reception to follow. Gov. Andy Beshear is expected to attend and speak.
The event will begin Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Jonathan Creek Conference Center in Hardin. Anyone wishing to attend the event is encouraged to register at the long term recovery group’s website.
Marshall County Long Term Recovery Group chair Mark Sickling says the purpose of this event is to mark the significance last year’s tornado had on the community.
“We will take time to reflect on what progress we have made in the past year and
how far we still have to go to help our tornado survivors fully recover,” Sickling said. “It will be a time to encourage and remind our tornado survivors and others present of the hope found in Christmas.”
The theme of this year’s event is “HOPE” and Sickling says it will be a time to bring the community together after what has been a difficult rebuilding process.
“The progress from last year’s tornado has been slow,” Sickling said. “While we have celebrated with a few families who are completely recovered, that is not the case for many other Marshall
County tornado survivors.”
Sickling says the community still wants to celebrate the good things that have happened in the last 12 months to help tornado survivors in Marshall County on their pathway to recovery.
“It will be a time where our community can come together and let our survivors know that we have not forgotten them or what they have been through this past year, while at the same time reminding them that we are still available to assist them in their recovery,” Sickling added.
Other communities around western Kentucky and Tennessee will be holding similar events, including:
- Mayfield/Graves County – 2:30 p.m. at the Graves County High School
- Cayce – 11 a.m. at the Cayce United Methodist Church
- Dawson Springs – 6 p.m. at Dawson Springs City Park
- Dresden, Tennessee – 2 p.m. at the McWherter Civic Center
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