Stories of Hope

April 2025

Bringing Relief and Recovery Assistance to Flood-Ravaged Neighbors

When the flood waters came, SOS was ready for the rush-- responding to urgent calls from organizations and individuals impacted by our state's latest disaster.

The call for help came after work on Monday, April 7-- and it went directly to CEO Denise Sears's cell phone. Denise had decided to post her personal number on the SOS social media accounts after days of storms and torrential rain led the Ohio River to rise to more than 36.5 feet, the highest recorded level since 1997, and caused other rivers across the state to swell and spill over-- submerging homes and businesses and impacting thousands of our neighbors. "I knew people would be looking for assistance at all hours and I didn't want them calling our headquarters at night or over the weekend and getting voice mail," said Denise.

The first call came from Ali, a Louisville woman who was rushing to aid her grandfather in Nicholasville. He was sheltering in a hotel after his home was flooded with his wheelchair inside. "Her grandfather was safe, but he was essentially stranded in the hotel," said Denise. "She was overjoyed to get him a chair so he wasn't trapped in that room."

Denise had called an emergency meeting of staff shortly after the ominous forecast and flood predictions had prompted a meeting with VOAD (Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters). "We have to be ready to act quickly," she told those gathered. "Make sure we have clean-up kits, first aid kits and durable medical equipment organized for quick disbursement or transport."

The state of readiness that SOS maintains earned us an invitation to become members of VOAD several years ago and allowed us to respond effectively during these devastating weeks-- even providing supplies to the Red Cross. SOS was also ready for Ron Crowe, with Baptist Disaster Relief, who picked up 300 clean-up kits-- including 392 lbs of masks, coveralls, gloves, boots and PPE items-- on his way to help with recovery efforts in Frankfort. And we were ready for Ali again, when in a beautiful moment of paying it forward, she returned to SOS to pick up 50 recovery kits to distribute in Nicholasville: "SOS helped my family and now we can help our neighbors who have also been devastated by this disaster."

HOW ONE HAND-CARRY MADE A DIFFERENCE IN ZIMBABWE

A hand-carry suitcase filled with sutures and gloves helped provide routine and emergency exams for 2,000 women, children, babies and men at the Karanda Mission Hospital during a month-long mission trip by students from the Virginia Commonwealth School of Medicine.

Above: Erin Kelly, center, and teammates Janet and Ogechi in Zimbabwe. Below: Medical students Janet and Ogechi pose with twin baby girls after assisting in their wellness checks.

In her first mission trip to the African continent, not only did Virginia Commonwealth medical student Erin Kelly get a chance to help change and save lives, but she was forever changed as well. "The doctors who were the medical team leaders did a lot to prepare us, but it is still a shock to see a hospital with so little of the equipment that we take for granted," she said. "There were a lot of surgical needs. It was incredible to see what we could accomplish with a suitcase full of sutures and gloves."

Over the month spent at the Karanda Mission Hospital, the team (which included a supervising pediatrician and general surgeon) saw close to 2,000 patients-- delivering babies, providing well baby exams, performing surgeries to remove benign and cancerous tumors, treating tuberculosis patients and providing emergency treatment for injuries including a crocodile bite. "Karanda Mission Hospital is known throughout Zimbabwe as a top surgical center," said Erin. "Many patients travel for hours from remote districts seeking common but potentially life-changing operations like hernia repair, prostatectomy.... We saw everything."

One patient particularly moved this young doctor in training: "I took care of a man in his early twenties named Sidney. He had a bright smile, but sunken eyes. He reported two weeks of abdominal pain and he was vomiting all solid food, barely keeping down liquids," she shared. "But there is a happy ending! Sidney received surgery for an abdominal cyst and I ran into him a few days later in the recovery ward. He looked visibly refreshed-- with a big smile. This operation-- and so many others-- could not have been done without the support of SOS!"

YOU'RE INVITED TO SHOP & SUPPORT SOS

When: Wednesday, April 23, 5:00 to 7:30 PM

Where: Work the Metal

Please join us next week for a private shopping night at favorite local store Work the Metal and support the SOS mission. In addition to their usual imaginative and colorful clothing, gifts and home decor, WTM will also be opening their Feather Bar for custom hat trimming and offering $3 mimosas and a wine bar. Fifteen percent of all sales will go directly to SOS, so let's fill the room and raise some money while taking care of any spring and Derby shopping needs. (We will also be helping to support this treasured local store, whose Derby business was impacted by recent road closings.)

SOS will have some of our local women partners there to share a few words about how their lives have been uplifted by our work-- so please bring friends who love to shop as well as those who might be moved by our mission. We can't wait to see you for this fun night out.

RSVP!

CHEERS FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS!

In the past few weeks, SOS welcomed volunteer groups from Molina, Assumption High School, Francis Parker and Norton Commons Elementary. Thank you to all who helped us spread health and hope.

Clockwise from top left: Molina, Assumption High School students, Norton Commons Elementary and Francis Parker all pitched in at the SOS warehouse in the past few weeks

Volunteer with us!

BEFORE YOU GO....

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