Wilhelmina Campbell didn’t just open her heart to folks in her community who lost everything in catastrophic flash flooding; she opened her door.

Campbell owns a building in downtown Hazard, KY, one of the areas of the Bluegrass State that’s been hit hardest by disastrous floods that, in recent days, have killed at least 37 people – a number expected to rise. The building, being in an advantageous higher position away from submerged zones, has not been damaged by the deluge.

Drone shots of the #Flooding in #Kentucky after it the water has receded several feet. #KyWx pic.twitter.com/UPgp6XRzx4

— WxChasing- Brandon Clement (@bclemms) July 28, 2022

As fate had it, the second floor of the three-story building was vacant. Campbell, also the owner of print/promo products shop Game On KY in Hazard, decided it would not remain so.

She began taking in people whose homes had been destroyed by the rampaging floodwaters, inviting them to stay on the second floor. As of this writing, the group of displaced persons included several families, including approximately 15 children and a pregnant mother.

“They had no place to go. They were starved and scared to death,” Campbell told ASI Media, noting that a business partner, Hazard-based attorney Jon Wilder, has also been key to the humanitarian effort. “We’re fortunate: We’ve got food, a kitchenette and running water. They’re at least inside and safe and dry now.”

This is incredible! We’re getting a first-person view of several hoist rescues performed by members of the @kentuckyguard in the aftermath of the Eastern Kentucky floods. The KY, TN, and WV National Guard choppers saved a combined 664 people like this. So thankful! @LEX18News pic.twitter.com/120DNPk8qZ

— Sean Moody 🎥🎙📝📺 (@SeanMoodyNews) August 2, 2022

Campbell’s story is just one example of how print and promo professionals are stepping up to help communities in the central Appalachian region of eastern Kentucky that have been devastated by the recent floods. Sadly, many promo and print pros are also contending with personal and professional impacts from the near-biblical rains that have swelled waterways, overwhelming homes, roads, bridges and other infrastructure.

Merriwether Hall can tell you about it.

The president of Hazard-based distributorship Ad East (asi/104997) told ASI Media that her business emerged relatively unscathed. “We had a little minor flooding in the backroom,” she said.

However, it was a different story for a local screen printer with whom Hall has worked for years. The destructive waters essentially wiped out the business, she shared. “They haven’t even tried to set back up, and I’m not sure they ever will. We offered to help with clean up, but it was not something they were ready to think about yet.”

Even if not ruined, industry businesses in flood-affected areas are dealing with disruptions to operations. On July 29, Shirt Gallery, LLC (asi/325856), based in Martin, KY, posted on Facebook: “We are temporarily closed due to the entrance of Arkansas Creek Road being blocked by water. We are monitoring the situation and will open as soon as the water recedes and it’s safe for our employees to travel.”

On a personal level, Hall noted that her husband’s cousin lost a home. So did the nephew of one her employees. “Everyone here knows somebody dealing with something like this,” she shared. “The water – it just came rushing out of the hills at night. It seemed to come out of nowhere. People who were not living in the floodplain – who didn’t have flood insurance on their homes – lost their houses. They’re still pulling bodies from the mud.”

Campbell’s personal circle was affected, too. Her niece, her niece’s husband and their three children lost their home to the floods. Rescuers saved one of Campbell’s friends, but the friend’s mother was carried away by the fast-rushing rising waters.

“It wasn’t just our county [Perry]; others like Breathitt and Letcher were hit so hard too. Every little hollow had creeks that just overwhelmed and became massive,” said Campbell, adding that there has been a silver lining of sorts among the rain clouds. “There’ve been so many volunteers stepping up to help. People are coming together and doing what they can to help those who need it.”

From Campbell and the Game On team, those efforts include running a T-shirt-driven fundraiser for flood relief. The business is selling/producing T-shirts that read, “One Appalachia Under God.” All proceeds benefit flood victims.

Meanwhile, another tee-fueled fundraiser has brought in more than $100,000 as of this writing.

The initiative comes from Hazard-based Appalachian Apparel Co. The retailer/apparel decorator launched a campaign selling two T-shirts to generate flood relief money. One tee says, “These People Are My Family. These Mountains Are My Home. Eastern KY Strong.” The other reads, “We Rise By Helping Others. Eastern KY Strong.”

Thanks in part to a social media shoutout from celebrity Mike Rowe, perhaps best known as host of the show Dirty Jobs, the shirts began selling like proverbial hotcakes.

“‘We Rise By Helping Others’ was the main idea for the fundraiser,” explained Appalachia Apparel Co. Owner Joey McKenney. “The people of Appalachia know how to band together and do things necessary for others in dire times. So by helping others, we raise up ourselves.”

McKenney said the funds are already being put to good use. “We have bought and delivered canned goods, baby formula, hygiene items, pallets of bottled water, clothing and cleaning supplies,” McKenney shared, noting that he, his immediate family and business were not harmed in the floods.

However, “several of our friends and extended family have not been so lucky and have lost everything,” McKenney told ASI Media. “Houses are gone. People are missing. Roads are washed away. People are stranded in areas and can’t get out because the roadways are gone. Helicopters have been having to deliver supplies to some of the remote areas.”

Mr. Rogers said, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping."

There are so many helpers in Eastern Kentucky. From first responders to state and federal officials, volunteers, residents and more – thank you to everyone stepping up for our people. pic.twitter.com/q04xK6u5pP

— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) August 1, 2022

The punishing floods came less than a year after tornadoes ravaged areas of Kentucky. During the December 2021 outbreak of twisters, promo pros in Kentucky were also forced to battle devastation in their communities and struggle to keep business moving forward.

“It’s so devastating…Kentucky has been on the receiving end of some extreme weather the last few months,” said Sarah Whitaker, owner of Hopkinsville, KY-based distributor Williams Advertising (asi/360042).

The tornadoes impacted some of Whitaker’s clients and family friends, but fortunately the floods have not. Whitaker said Kentuckians are rising to the occasion to support one another. She encouraged others to do what they can to help by donating to a vetted, reliable relief source, such as the KSR Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund.

“It’s not going to be easy, but we will rise up and overcome,” McKenney wrote in a Facebook post. “We will rebuild. We are family, and this region is our home.”

Said Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear: “I wish I could tell you why we keep getting hit here in Kentucky. I wish I could tell you why areas where people may not have much continue to get hit and lose everything. I can’t give you the why, but I know what we do in response to it. And the answer is everything we can.”