Southern Reds continues giving back to Mayfield

That day was the first snowfall of the year, measuring 4 to 6 inches, according to the National Weather Service, and being barefoot in temperatures in the high teens was not ideal. However, Micah Seavers had given his pair to someone else in need.

“So the whole story — we were at a set of apartments delivering food, heaters, and fuel,” he said. “There is the sweetest older man who lives there; he has nothing. He didn’t have anything before the tornado. He is happy and joyful and just a joy to talk to every time I see him.

“I had just upgraded his heater, I hooked him up with some chili, and moved on to the next apartment. The young lady that manages them, who is doing a great job amidst the chaos, asked me if I can get him a pair of size 12 boots. I know how requests can go — they sometimes get made and don’t get met. Not on purpose or out of meanness, but sometimes it just slips through the cracks.”

He said he did not want the request to slip through the cracks, believing as a community, care should be given to the elderly, young and disabled, first and foremost.

“My brain turned on, and I asked the gentleman with me if he could run to the truck to get another pair of boots for me,” he said.

Already shedding them, Seavers offered his boots to the man.

“I had only worn the boots on my feet a few times, so I opted to give them to him as they are very nice boots, and warm dry feet are so important,” he said. “We proceeded to make a couple more drops and then went to the Tractor Supply. At that point, I got new boots. The manager there sneaks paying for them as I am getting other things done.

“He reminds me of what I had said the day previous about if we all just acted more like neighbors. Sometimes giving needs to be immediate and sometimes it can wait for a later moment, but the impact is always the same. So always be kind.”

Giving the shoes off his own feet isn’t the only thing Seavers has done to contribute to Mayfield’s healing efforts following the deadly Dec. 10 tornado.

In the early hours of Dec. 11 after the tornado struck Mayfield, a call for help was posted on Southern Reds' Facebook page as they began cooking at 3 a.m.

“We need 400 biscuits, 400 eggs, 200 slices of bacon, 200 sausage patties for breakfast sandwiches for the volunteers at the candle factory. If you can bring these items raw we can cook them and prepare them,” according to the post. “We will be working on getting these at 6:30 a.m. so we can get them cooked and sent out to where they need to go. If we can help anyone in any way please contact us.”

He asked the community where food was needed for that night and the following day, where he could take it and for how many people. Seavers continues to do this with the community and volunteers daily.

“It is great that everyone is coming together, you know maybe it will show people the needs and necessities of Mayfield, because I’ll be honest with you, I don’t think people realized how poor some of Mayfield was up until this — like there is true destitution,” he said. “We have people everyday call us for free food. Everyday, from everywhere — and I don’t question it. I just give them food.”

Prior to the tornado, he hosted a nonprofit where he and other volunteers take children of fallen or injured soldiers and other children who do not have many opportunities and give them a chance to have a little fun.

“We do all kinds of things with them. We go on adventures and take them on outdoor activities,” Seavers said. “The tornado has helped us kind of expand our mission statement to house these folks. They all have kids — you know, that was the basis. The requirement was that it had to be families that came, to make sure everything was as safe as possible.”

With 41 beds and a shower house, he has been able to host families at a place he calls “Camp.”

One thing he makes sure to tell while updating those on Facebook for volunteer efforts is Bible verse Micah 6:8: “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

“So, when I was a kid — there’s a man named Robert Miller in Murray. He respected my family, probably above anyone else. Super wealthy man — and we were super not wealthy,” he said. “He would make me recite that to him. So, it’s kind of just been a thing my whole life. That’s the beginning of it, and it’s just good scripture. If people would follow that a little stronger, the world would be a better place.”Meeting people — being with them during this time, seems to be the most enjoyable thing Seavers talks about.

“Walking up and down the street, you see people that never get the chance to see anyone,” he said. “I spend five or 10 minutes in someone’s house talking to them, because they just want to talk to somebody. you know, that’s all it is.”

“I think we all need to strive to all be a little more like leaders. We need to look at our kids and ask, ‘are we raising leaders, or are we raising followers?’ You know, we need a few more leaders in this world,” he said.

To volunteer, contact Seavers’ mother, Belinda, at 270-970-8627. The team will assign volunteers a position and give addresses for delivery to those in need.

Southern Reds is located at 5085 State Route 94 W. in Water Valley.