By Andy Furman
NKyTribune reporter
Destruction. Devastation. And even death.
Yet, that’s where Pastor Robert Ashley Beagle is headed – to help.
“This isn’t something new for me and my partner, Lance Mockbee,” Pastor Beagle told the Northern Kentucky Tribune. “Two years ago, after the major flood in Hazard, we took over 20,000 pounds of product to help.”
And two months ago – with more flooding in Hazard – he collected $9,000 in monetary donations.
This time Beagle — the Pastor at Visalia Baptist Church (12062 Vises Trail Road, Covington) has banded with two additional congregations – First Baptist Church of Dayton and Dayton’s Cornerstone Christian Church.
The connection – at least for Beagle – was easy.
“I attended First Baptist of Dayton,” said Beagle, who has between Pastor at Visalia, the past two years. After that I called upon Cornerstone.”
Now the work truly begins for the troupe.
“We’ll leave,” says Beagle, “As soon as we fill our collection vehicle. It’s located on 10th and Central in Newport.”
For those interested, collection is Sunday for both First Baptist Church and Cornerstone.
Cornerstone has a collection on Thursday as well.
“After the collection is done,” added Beagle, “we’ll make about a 12-14 hour trek to the people in London. We take the goods down, unload and head back home to Northern Kentucky that same night.”
The tornado that hit Laurel County on the 16 of May was part of a storm system that tore through the central region of the United States – and killed at least 28 people, according to media reports. Nineteen of those died in Laurel County. Seven people died in the state of Missouri – five in St. Louis.
According to Gilbert Acciardo, a public affairs official for the county sheriff’s office, most of the victims in Laurel County were killed in Sunshine Hills – and many of them, according to the report — ranged in age from 50 to 70. No exact number of deaths were given by the office.
Officials and residents of London were working last weekend – around-the-clock — to provide support. A local electric line service company, PraXel, offered to subsidize hotel status for the displaced residents, according to a media report. The local campgrounds and churches were used as make-shift shelters.
London lies near the Boone National Forest in southeastern Kentucky. Each year, London hosts the World Chicken Festival, which includes a look-a-like contest for Colonel Sanders, the mascot for KFC.
Help has been arriving daily – both near and far.
Pastor Beagle and his army are getting ready.