RETAILERS HELP TORNADO-RAVAGED TOWNS WITH FOOD, WATER

WILLIAM SMYTH

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- Supermarkets here, one of the towns ravaged by tornadoes that struck parts of Arkansas and Tennessee in late January, stepped up to the plate to provide much needed food and supplies to area victims and volunteers.

Clarksville Food Lion stores helped out with donations and aided residents as well as volunteer workers. All three units in Clarksville donated 16-ounce six-packs of Food Lion natural spring water as well as bread, coffee and deli food items. Food Lion is based in Salisbury, N.C.

"We donated coffee and doughnuts to the emergency workers, and we had a pallet of 40 cases of six-pack drinking water," said store manager Marcus Terwilliger. "We also donated 2,000 to 3,000 individually wrapped snack packs and multiple sandwich trays. I think we helped out quite a bit."

Area Target stores also gave their support. The Minneapolis-based discount chain donated $18,000 in food and other necessities to victims of the winter storms in Clarksville; Jackson, Tenn.; and Little Rock, Ark. According to a company press release, items included diapers, baby formula, shampoo and health care supplies, as well as clothing and blankets.

Not to be outdone, the Wal-Mart Super Center on Fort Campbell Boulevard in Clarksville donated more than $10,000 in food to area victims, according to Andre Thompson, zone manager. The beverage list included 16 pallets of Pepsi-One cola, between six and 10 pallets of gallon jugs of water, and two pallets of Sunny Delight orange juice.

Food items included 20 cases of Frito-Lay potato chips with salsa and dips; frozen meatballs and biscuits; three truckloads of bread.

"After the storm hit, some of the crews from the American Red Cross couldn't get here, so we sent our trucks with the food to them," said Thompson. "We also sent blankets, paper towels and clothes."

"A lot of customers who come in the store appreciate that the store they shop in donated to the victims," Thompson added. "A young girl called up the radio station after the storms and thanked us. It makes you feel pretty good."

Some stores were not as lucky and were torn apart by the storms. Martin's Food Store in Clarksville, a subsidiary of Supervalu, Minneapolis, suffered $250,000 to $300,000 worth of damage. The unit was hit twice by the storms and it will reopen for business in six weeks after extensive renovations.

Cindy Robinson, logistics officer for the American Red Cross, told SN, "We've been doing this all over the country and the relief effort here has just been wonderful. The outpouring of the people in this area is truly amazing."