Commodity Program Brighten Spirits

MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT – Local volunteers and trustees from the Weakley County Sheriff’s Department helped in the final steps of getting USDA commodity foods to more than 600 families in the county in front of the Northwest Tennessee Economic Development Council on Wilson Street in Dresden Friday morning. Commodity program director Tammy Perry had to postpone last month’s commodities distribution after not having enough volunteers for a lot of heavy lifting. Typically, it takes groups two weeks to unload a semi-truck shipment of commodities to feed all of the local families signed up for the program. Recently, members of UT Martin’s Alpha Gammo Rho fraternity answered the call and took two days to unload. They also helped pack up the boxes and spent some time Friday helping to load boxes into vehicles. Families received a note from Perry listing names and addresses of helping hand organizations encouraging them to send a note of thanks or Christmas card. They included: Alpha Gamma Rho, Alpha Upsilon, 225 University St., Martin, TN 38237; Candace Winstead, Weakley County Detention Center, 7951 TN-22, Dresden, TN 38225; Dresden FFA Officers, C/O J. Holden, 7150 TN-Hwy 22, Dresden, TN 38225; and Volunteers, C/O Tammy Perry @ NWTNEDC, Rm. #103, 231 S. Wilson St., Dresden, TN 38225.