By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – As the sun rose on Tuesday morning, just hours after a horrific tornado wreaked havoc through western Putnam County and the edge of Cookeville, Tennessee Tech student-athletes were putting the bats and balls aside and taking to fields beyond their own as they helped with relief efforts in the community.
University President Dr. Phil Oldham closed the campus on Wednesday to allow its students and staff to help the Cookeville and Upper Cumberland following the storm in what was called "Tech Loves Cookeville" day of service.
Nearly every Golden Eagle team went out into the community in some form or fashion and helped provide goods and supplies, cleaned up debris and helped those affected by the storms pick up the pieces. The teams also went to work on their own fields -- barely two miles from the destruction – cleaning debris from their homes away from home.
"Community service is something we promote highly to our student-athletes," said Mark Wilson, Tech Director of Athletics. "While they are here at Tennessee Tech, this is their home, their family, their community. From all the different walks of life represented by our programs, Cookeville, the Upper Cumberland and Tennessee Tech means so much to them.
"Tennessee is The Volunteer State and that ideal is embodied by the efforts of not just our student-athletes, but also our University's student body, faculty, staff and administration. I applaud all of their efforts in this moment as we look past the tragedy and help build a sense of togetherness."
Among the efforts, the Golden Eagle football team helped unload trucks at Double Springs Church of Christ and helped remove debris at Prosperity Point. Tech Volleyball donated blood and cleaned up sites. The Golden Eagle men's basketball team helped gather supplied at the Cookeville Community Center, while Tech Golf, Soccer, Softball, Track and Field and Cross Country helped remove debris from various sites.
The Tennessee Tech women's basketball team will be wearing special "CKVL – We rise by lifting others" shirts from local clothing store Halo during pregame at Thursday's Ohio Valley Conference tournament game in Evansville, Ind., to raise awareness for the relief efforts, as well as a ribbon to remember those affected by the storm.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the storm killed 18 in Putnam County and injured 88, while 13 are still missing. The National Weather Service rated the tornado an EF-4, only the fifth time the Upper Cumberland has been hit by a tornado of that magnitude – Overton County in 1933 and the three in the 1974 tornado outbreak that spawned 148 in 13 states on the same day.
Relief efforts are still ongoing. To volunteer to help, email helpnow@putnamcountytn.gov. Official relief funds have been established at Bank of Putnam County or via Venmo -- @CookevillePutnamCountyTornado.
Tech students or staff who have needs related to attendance, food, shelter, clothing or emotional support can email ttunews@tntech.edu. An on-campus rally to show support for Cookeville Strong will be held at 11:15 a.m. on Centennial Plaza. Moments of silence will be held, as well as encouragement and support. Donations will also be accepted on the plaza.
