Campus News

College of Pharmacy Helps Stock Outreach Center for Western Ky. Tornado Relief

of
image of three women sitting on a wall
image of woman sorting through donated supplies
image of a woman standing in front of donated medical supplies and over-the-counter medications

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 28, 2022) — The whole country felt the devastation on Dec. 10, 2021, when a portion of Western Kentucky was destroyed by tornadoes. Today, the people of Western Kentucky are still living through the damage and will continue to feel the effects for years to come. One University of Kentucky faculty member knew she had to do everything in her power to step up and help the community that she once called home.

Holly Divine, Pharm.D., professor and director of external studies in the UK College of Pharmacy, grew up in Dawson Springs – a city with less than 3,000 people. The small Hopkins County town has been home to generations of Divine’s family. As the storms rolled through the region, her families’ homes were spared, but much of her town had been dismantled. The line of tornadoes left behind utter devastation and many people with nothing to their names right before the holidays.

“My husband and I were already planning to go home for Christmas, but we decided to stay for a couple of weeks and begin to help with some of the relief efforts there,” said Divine. “I had seen so many pictures, so I think my eyes were prepared for what I saw, but hearing the stories of the people who lost everything? I don’t think I was quite prepared for that.”

When donations came flooding in, Divine’s mother, the Rev. Kathy Redden – a pastor in Dawson Springs for over 19 years – stepped up to help organize and distribute these donations to their community members and loved ones who were in need with the help of their congregation at Dayspring Assembly of God. This is how the Dayspring Outreach Center (DOC) began.

First, they were looking for a central place to house the DOC. They knew of an old U.S. Bank building on Main Street that had been vacant for years, so Divine’s mother decided to pick up the phone and call the realtor to see if there was any chance that they would be able to use the building to house their center.

The next thing she knows, she received a call back— it was a saving grace. U.S. Bank was giving them the building free of charge for the next three months. And in just a couple of days, the doors to the DOC opened, and they began to organize and stock the needs of the community at this central hub, operating like a small convenience store.

“The center is exceptionally well organized,” Divine said. “My mom wanted people to come in and feel a sense of normality and stability, like they were shopping at a retail store. She didn’t want those who have already lost so much to have to rummage through donations themselves to find what they need.”

Typical donations include essentials like bedding, towels, dishes, small appliances, personal hygiene products, clothing and shoes. The DOC not only collects tangible items to help the community, but they also help organize and disperse monetary donations as well. All these efforts are essential to helping those in need while they attempt to get re-established in their homes.

“My mom has been able to use the financial donations to help those who may need a deposit to turn on utilities at a rental apartment, and then take them to the DOC to get the essentials they need,” said Divine. “And hopefully that helps them save up to start rebuilding or replenishing their homes that have been lost.”

However, once they got up and running, they began to realize there were some needs that were still not being met.

*****

Trish Freeman, Ph.D., professor and director of Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Kentucky, is a long-time colleague and friend of Divine. When she heard that Dawson Springs was one of the towns hit by tornadoes, Freeman immediately wanted to see how she and their colleagues in the College of Pharmacy could help.

“I felt strongly about doing something despite not being able to physically go down there in the beginning, so Holly started letting me know what people needed and I began finding those resources,” Freeman said. “And one day we realized that there are people who come into the center with specialized needs — things we weren’t thinking about, like vitamins or denture cream, and other over-the-counter medications.”

Freeman began ordering the requested over-the-counter medications on Amazon and shipping it to Dawson Springs. But, as the requests for these items grew, they needed some help. With their connections and expertise, Freeman was able to partner directly with UK's Turfland Retail Pharmacy to purchase over-the-counter medications and medical supplies to stock inside a section of the DOC.

“Once we partnered with the UK retail pharmacy, we were able to go pick the medications up locally and I deliver them to Holly’s house right before Christmas, and she took the first batch down to the DOC,” Freeman said. “I then sent a call out to our faculty and colleagues asking them if they were interested in helping to fund this small pharmacy, and folks stepped up to the plate and started making donations. We’re now able to continue satisfying the needs of the community in this way.”

Recently, they were notified that the bank is extending their favor for three more months, allowing them to continue using the building until mid-June.

“The DOC is one of the few outreach facilities left open around here that is able to collect donations and distribute supplies to the community members who are in need,” Divine said. “So, it’s just been a really big blessing that the Lord opened those doors for us to be able to have the building for at least six months, maybe longer.”

The longer the DOC can stay open, the better. Because for some, the DOC truly continues to serve them on levels beyond their physical and financial needs.

“There are several people who come in regularly just to talk and get a brief escape from the chaos that surrounds them at home,” Divine said. “The DOC is ministering not only to the physical needs but also the emotional and spiritual needs of Dawson Springs and the surrounding communities.”

For her, the most heart-warming part about this experience has been getting to see the community truly come together.

“Before, when I would talk about where I’m from, no one had ever heard of Dawson Springs,” said Divine. “But now, it’s certainly on the map, and people know who they are. The people there love that community, that community is strong, and they’re so grateful for what our surrounding Kentucky community has done to help them.”

The needs of the community will only continue as time goes on and as they begin to rebuild their town, and the UK College of Pharmacy continues to help.

“The College of Pharmacy has been amazing, I am so thankful for my colleagues who have stepped up and are willing to help the needs of my hometown,” Divine said. “It just takes all of us working together because there are going to be needs for a long, long time.”

*****

If you would like to donate to the Dayspring Outreach Center, you can provide a tax-deductible financial donation to the 501c3 tornado relief fund here by selecting “Tornado Disaster Relief Fund,” or directly ship requested items from the Dayspring Outreach Center’s Amazon registry or Walmart registry. Gift cards may also be purchased through these websites and sent directly to the DOC to use in purchasing supplies.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.