The tornadoes of April 27, 2011, were unlike anything that our state has witnessed. Each of Alabama Farm Credit’s five offices had borrowers who were directly affected by the storms, and losses were staggering. Homes. Farms. Friends. Family members. Some lost only power. Some lost everything.
However, in the days that followed, the response from the communities was overwhelming. Donations and aid came in from all over. While many of our borrowers had damage from the storms, others who were more fortunate did not hesitate to aid their neighbors.

Andy Whitt, a borrower from the Athens branch office, played a monumental role in the tornado relief effort. A resident of Madison County, he immediately went to work in the Harvest area, distributing supplies to those in need. With the Athens Rotary Club, he helped organize a relief effort to donate food, furniture and other goods to the Tanner community in Limestone County. With donations from members as well as other clubs as far away as North Carolina, the Rotary club was able to contribute more than $7,000 in goods.

Whitt’s generosity is echoed throughout his family. His wife, Jennifer, is a teacher at Sparkman High School in Madison County, and she, along with the couple’s son, Grant, 11, and daughter, Drew, 9, leads a group of teachers in delivering meals to the Anderson Hills community.

“This is by far the worst thing I have ever witnessed,” Whitt said of the storms. But in return, I have been able to also witness some of the best displays of kindness in people. We would be working in the trenches with these victims, and strangers would stop just to give them a hug. It truly was amazing.”

Another borrower from the Athens branch office, Tony McCormack, also was heavily involved in the relief response. McCormack helped to set up a long-term recovery command center for Madison County, working day and night to get things running so they could get help to those who needed it.

The devastation from that day will be forever etched in the minds of those who witnessed it. But thankfully, most of us will also recall the way neighbors came together to help each other and how people gave not only their money and possessions but their time and prayers as well.

On behalf of the employee’s and board of director’s of Alabama Farm Credit Ben Gore, President/CEO and Ralph Stewart, EVP/CCO presented a check in the amount of $7,000.00 to the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association Disaster Relief.

They also presented a check in the amount of $3,000.00 to the American Red Cross specifically designated to North Alabama.

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