Father, son bring supplies to tornado-ravaged town

Bob Bostic and his son, Bobby, 20, drove a 26-foot truck packed full with 10,000 dehydrated meals, bottles of water, clothing, bedding and furniture to Alabama last week, eager to provide relief efforts to folks struggling in the aftermath of the April 27 killer tornadoes.

Yet, the sight of leveled towns was more destructive than the images the Tavares pair had seen on television; the devastation was more heart-wrenching then they imagined.

"People literally have nothing," Bob Bostic said. "In 2007 we had the tornadoes that went through Lady Lake and Lake Mack, but nothing compares to what happened up there."

As executive director for the local satellite for Kids Against Hunger, Bostic received calls after the deadly tornadoes, asking if KAH could provide any assistance.

"We received requests for any help that we could provide -- any food, clothing, bedding and furniture that we could provide," he said. "And that is what inspired us to go. It's part of what we do."

Bostic coordinated with Word Alive in Oxford, Ala., which was on scene in the first 72 hours of the disaster as a first responder, setting up distribution facilities to provide emergency workers, food, water and supplies to the hardest-hit areas of Alabama.

Once the father and son team arrived in Oxford, they were surrounded by volunteers who quickly unloaded their truck. There was no time to snap photographs, Bostic said, adding the trip to Alabama was not a photo opportunity, but one of providing a need.

"We received lots of comments from people how appreciative and thankful that they were," Bostic said. "They were thankful that there were people responding to their needs."

The Bostics said it felt good to hand over water, food, clothing and furniture.

They intend to travel back to Alabama.

"We will be making more trips," Bostic said, adding Kids Against Hunger also is partnering with The Barn in Sanford, a country music club, to provide more relief supplies to Florida's panhandle neighbor.

"The Barn did a fundraiser and sent two more trucks up there," Bostic said, adding the last truck left on Monday, also packed with food, water and supplies.