By Abigail Roberts
A Lincoln County native is coordinating a 7-county donation effort to help out neighboring Casey County while they deal with a major water shortage due to drought.
Lindsey Phillips, born and raised in McKinney, said when she saw the news about the water shortage in Casey County, she felt compelled to help.
A local state of emergency has been declared in Liberty due to ongoing water supply concerns with the Casey County Fiscal Court expected to adopt similar guidelines to extend the declaration countywide.
Residents are being asked to avoid all unnecessary water use including outdoor watering, filling swimming pools, pressure washing, washing vehicles and operating decorative fountains unless needed to preserve aquatic life. Residents are also being asked to take shorter showers and only run dishwashers and washing machines with full loads.
Phillips said as she learned about the situation, she felt in her heart she needed to help.
“I’m actively coordinating with the seven surrounding counties to establish drop-off spots for water bottles, water jugs, water tanks, CPAP machine water (distilled water), spring water, special water for babies, all of it,” she said. “Whatever these people need.”
She has confirmed a drop-off spot at the Stanford Fire Department for Stanford residents to drop off water donations. She is also working to create a drop-off spot at the fire station in McKinney.
Phillips is working to create similar spots in the seven surrounding counties including Marion, Boyle, Russell, Pulaski, Taylor and Adair.
“As for the surrounding counties, I have the Marion County EMS as the Marion County drop-off spot and First Southern National Bank in Somerset is going to be the drop-off spot for Pulaski County,” she said.
For now, Phillips, who lives in Louisville, is going to spend her weekends transporting the donations to Casey County. She is hoping to coordinate with other volunteers to deliver the donations throughout the week.
This week she is working to confirm the pick-up spots in Casey County, which will likely be the Central Kentucky Ag Expo Center and the Dunville Christian Church Outreach Center.
“Water for bathing, water for livestock, water for crops – anything that you can think of water-related they will probably need before too long,” Phillips said. “I’m also working with local churches. There’s a lot of moving parts but I’m happy to say a lot of the pieces are coming together.”
Phillips said she is grateful for those who have offered to help.
“I just want to thank everybody that has stepped up, offered to help me. I will continue to post on Facebook in the What’s Happening in Casey County group, that seems to have a lot of outreach to update Casey County residents,” she said. “I’m just very thankful for everybody who has agreed to work with me and who is in the process of working with me. It just really fills my heart to see small communities come together and helping out their neighbors.”
CURRENT DONATION DROP OFF SITES
• Stanford Fire Department (400 E Main St, Stanford, KY 40484) – LINCOLN
• McKinney Masonic Lodge (70 Main St, Stanford, KY 40484) – MCKINNEY/LINCOLN (While the address says Stanford, this is Main Street in McKinney)
• Marion County EMS (436 W Walnut St, Lebanon, KY 40033) – MARION
• First Southern National Bank in Somerset (15 S Hwy 27, Somerset, KY 42501) – PULASKI
