DEAR EDITOR:

You might imagine how life has been turned upside down for the residents of East Palestine. Having lived in town for 31 years, I can assure you it has. I have been frustrated with just about everything from the railroad company to our federal government. That is not why I am writing.

I am writing to brag on people who have so generously helped. First and foremost, I brag on our first responders: the EP fire chief and volunteer fire department, and all other departments (68!) that responded. They saved our town that dreadful night and following days. Our EP police, surrounding police, sheriff and highway patrol helped to coordinate emergency vehicles and traffic and to evacuate us. The Ohio National Guard helped to evacuate people and helped to protect our town.

And then there have been the volunteers — oh, the volunteers — from Second Harvest Food Bank, Salvation Army (of Salem, East Liverpool and Youngstown), Brightside Project, from tri-state area churches and from various schools in and around our community, volunteers from Shriners and Social Concerns, and a caravan of Americans helping America. There are neighbors helping neighbors and strangers helping strangers. The Way Station also is helping and volunteering. And certainly there are organizations and people I am unaware of that have stepped in to help too. It has been a wonderful outpouring of help, encouragement and blessings.

What does all that look like, you wonder. It is the Abundant Life Church opening its doors for the Norfolk Southern Assistance Center. It is a group of people from our community and beyond gathering to pray for us. It is water by the cases and cases and gallons. It is food for our people and our pets. It is cleaning products for our homes and hygiene products for our bodies. It is The New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs provided to us by the Gideons to nourish our souls.

So when you think this world is nothing but a big mess, you might be right. I am here to tell you there are many who want to help in the big mess. And they deserve recognition and a thank you.

A huge thank you isn’t enough, but a huge thank you is all I have.

LISA MAHONEY

East Palestine