NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — McCann Technical School students are collecting items to help a fellow technical school in Mayfield, Ky., affected by a devastating tornado.

 

"We heard that part of the Mayfield School District is a technical school. They have a SkillsUSA and BPA chapter just like we do," McCann Principal Justin Kratz said. "So we wanted to see what we could do to help. We got some students and faculty together, and they were fired up to help out."

 

On Dec. 10, a long-tracked tornado moved through western Kentucky, causing damage and death in 11 counties.

 

A table has been set up in McCann's lobby. SkillsUSA and Business Professionals of America (BPA) students are managing the donation table in shifts, boxing up donations, and sending them out to Kentucky.

 

"They are volunteering in the morning, collecting during their lunches, and volunteering after school," Kratz said. "We are trying to get things out as soon as we can, and we will keep going to get as much community involvement as we can."

 

Friday morning senior Jakob Wood, a business technology senior, was working at the desk with classmate Cecilia Marszalek, a computer assisted drawing student.

 

"It has been pretty good. We have had a lot of gifts," Wood said. "It has been an amazing experience how much we have gotten in two days."

 

Kratz said he has been amazed, but not surprised, by the outpouring of support from the community.

 

"The McCann families and faculty have been phenomenal," Kratz said. "It is a tough time right before the holidays, and we have been blown away by how much people were willing to contribute."

 

Kratz said donations of supplies have been coming in steadily but also cash donations. Kratz said Friday morning a group of students were at BJ's purchasing listed supplies.  

 

He said he thought that the table, already full of donations from the morning, was "just the tip of the iceberg." 

 

"We have more groups in the community that told us things are coming on Monday, and they are getting ready to mobilize over the weekend," he said. "We have been getting phone calls from people saying they have trucks of stuff they want to drop off Monday." 

 

That being said, Kratz expects a busy day Monday.

 

Kratz said he has been in communication with the Mayfield Technical School principal. He said they had an understandably quick email correspondence.

 

"I can't imagine what they are going through, but I did get a quick message back," he said. "I can't even imagine how busy they are. We think we are busy. I can't imagine what they are going through getting students and families back on their feet."

 

The collection table will be set up through Dec.22. A changing list of needed supplies can be found here.