Last week, my old Kentucky home endured one of the worst storms in the commonwealth’s long history. Town after town has been decimated, some destroyed entirely. The road to recovery will be long and difficult. On a more positive note, over the last few days I have witnessed the absolute best from the people who live here. Telethons, emergency fundraisers, toy, food and clothing drives, and volunteers descending on Western Kentucky, some with no plan but to arrive and simply ask “How can I help?”

Starting December 16, the Kentucky Distillers Association, Bourbon Crusaders and writer Fred Minnick will be hosting an online and live auction. The Bourbon Crusaders are known for throwing  incredible auctions for charitable causes, and while I have yet to see what will be available, I rest with great confidence they will have outdone themselves this time. All proceeds will go toward the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund. Please consider bidding on a special bottle as a holiday gift for the bourbon fanatic in your life, or for yourself: you’ve earned it just by enduring 2021.

More information and registration can be found at kentuckybourbonbenefit.com

Additionally, here are a few other places where donations are currently being accepted:

Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund: secure.kentucky.gov/formservices/Finance/WKYRelief
Kentucky Sports Radio/Kentucky Chamber Foundation “KSR Tornado Relief Fund”: www.kychamber.com/ksrtornadorelief
United Way of Kentucky set up a Disaster Recovery Fund with 100% of donations going to support Kentucky families in need: www.uwky.org/tornado
Kentucky Restaurant Association set up a GoFundMe to collect donations to distribute to restaurants affected by the storms: www.gofundme.com/f/western-kentucky-restaurant-relief-fund
Forward Kentucky also has compiled a list by county of how to help: forwardky.com/tornado-places-to-give-or-get-help/

On behalf of Drinkhacker’s Kentucky delegation, we kindly thank you.

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