Their Stories

Our home was severely damaged in the December 10th tornado. Micah Seavers and his crew were a Godsend to my family. They delivered meals to us for weeks when we had no electricity for 20 days. I saw a post about helping with Christmas dinner. I responded to the post and the day before Christmas they delivered so much food, a feast to my family. We had enough to share with a couple neighbors.


Then I was at St Vincent De Paul and Freddy told me to message Micah about a propane heater and propane since we could not use our gas insert fireplace for heat. Micah brought it to my home and set it up and even replaced the propane tank for me when it was empty. When I no longer needed it, I gave it back so someone else could use it.



I saw Micah as he tirelessly worked to help as many people as he could each day for months. He has done so much for this community already, and continues to work each day to make a difference in the lives of the people in Mayfield and Graves County.

December 10, 2021 was a very tragic event! Hearing your entire house get ripped to pieces is the worst thing you can ever hear! Especially knowing you have babies inside you have to protect. Someone told us about Micah Seavers and what he’s doing for people so we reached out to him and he got us in that night! Micah Seavers is our hero, he made sure we was fed, bathed, taken care of, and most of all he made sure ALL of us KEPT a roof over our head until we found somewhere to permanently live! What Micah has done for many people is so touching and heart warming! We could not have done it without camp graves help! We will continue to help anyone the best we can but right now it’s a struggle for us even, and that’s ok because we know god is on our side and he won’t put us through anything we can’t handle.

We traveled to Camp Graves from Greenville SC in August 2022. Cassie welcomed us with open arms, the accommodations were great, and everything we needed was provided. Waking up at the Camp and simply walking over to the tiny homes to work construction all day made it easy to be efficient. The communication regarding what needed to be done was clear and the stockpile of tools on site allowed us to really be productive. Micah was kind enough to sit and spend time with us and it was inspirational to hear his heart and motivating to see all that he and his team are doing for this community. We have nothing but good things to say about Camp Graves and make sure to try the good eats at their family restaurant Southern Reds BBQ

“On August 4th, 2023, me and my family suffered a flash flood in Union City, TN. I paid my rent the night before. I didn’t sleep at all that night because of the rain. At around 5:30 AM, I heard an unusual noise, I got up and opened my front door to see the whole trailer park flooded with about 4 feet of water. I lost my car and most of my belongings. I felt totally overwhelmed and devastated. Thanks to the Red Cross (Brandy Rhodes), we were able to stay in a motel and shelter until we were able to find a more permanent place. Brandy had got information on a place and about the same time, I saw a newscast offering help to those affected by the flood; little did I know we both had Camp G.R.A.V.E.S.’s information. Camp G.R.A.V.E.S. saved us, literally, by providing a safe place for me and my disabled daughter, and son and his wife. I was able to continue my schooling, I started college on July 10th to be a medical office assistant with billing and coding; I currently carry a 3.8 GPA. My daughter was able to get into an online program to get her GED and has been studying to take the test. I had knee replacement surgery in October and was able to stay in the camper and make it to therapy from Camp G.R.A.V.E.S. My camper was wonderful, we were able to keep our pets. We felt safe in our environment, as there are no drugs and alcohol allowed on the property; this is wonderful because even though these are legal, they cause abuse in the family. Camp G.R.A.V.E.S. is about safety to families and children and a wonderful, safe place to be in case of an emergency situation. After staying in Camp G.R.A.V.E.S. for about 4 months, we were able to find permanent housing, and we moved January 1st, 2024. I left Camp G.R.A.V.E.S. with a home, a job, and my education intact and feeling like I was supported the whole way. I truly thank Cassy Basham and Micah Seavers for what they are doing in Graves County, KY. Not only are they helping flood victims, but they are also helping tornado victims from the Mayfield, KY tornado over a year ago.” -Julie

"On August 4th, 2023, my family and I woke up to the scariest thing. At 6:00 AM, my mother-in-law woke my husband and I up because it had rained all night and, next thing you know, we were flooded. We didn’t know what to do, and before you know it, we were walking out in waist high water, due to water from outside slowly making its way inside. As we are taken to a shelter, we were clueless on what was going to happen next. For a few days, we were in hotel after hotel; money got tight due to everything that happened, and so we ended up having to stay in a shelter, where we met a lady from the Red Cross who hooked us up with Camp G.R.A.V.E.S. For us, that changed everything. We now had a place to sleep and not worry about where we were going to end up next; we could go back to work and make money to eat and provide for ourselves. Camp G.R.A.V.E.S. is a great place, such a nice, loving, and caring community! We had up to 18 months to find something more permanent. I will say that camper living may have been hard, and a big adjustment for all of us, but we couldn’t have been more grateful for all Camp G.R.A.V.E.S. and the Red Cross did to get us in. After 4 months of looking and saving money, we are finally in housing, and we couldn’t have done it without Camp G.R.A.V.E.S.!" -Kaida

"Thank you so much for coming to our aid in our time of need when we were flooded on August 4th, 2023. We are so thankful for the beautiful place to live and the community of care we received. In addition, we saw how you helped others from the tornado of 2021, and we learned so much from you and what Camp G.R.A.V.E.S. does for others. Thank you, once again, for being there for us and getting us home. With love, Mike and Halina Brown of Hickman, KY." -Michael

"My name is Stephen Hendley, a 53-year-old veteran, and I wanted to share my experience of being displaced as a result of a tornado. This testimonial is a heartfelt expression of gratitude towards the incredible organizations and individuals who helped my family during this challenging time. In July 2023, our house was marked for demolition because it had been damaged by the tornado, and our landlord refused to fix it, leaving us in a state of uncertainty. Faced with the daunting task of finding a new place to live, especially considering the unique needs of my family, I remembered my cousin mentioning a group called LTRG (Long-Term Recovery Group), which specializes in assisting people displaced by disasters. When I reached out to LTRG, they immediately assured me that they would provide the necessary support for my family. They connected us with various programs, including the New Lease on Life and the Hope Initiative as well as the Fuller Center for Housing, among others. These programs proved to be invaluable in helping us rebuild our lives. One remarkable individual who made a profound impact on our journey was Cassy Basham, who manages Camp Graves, alongside her brother Micah Seavers, the camp's director. When we arrived, Camp Graves greeted us with the comforting words we desperately needed to hear: 'I've got you.' They went above and beyond to assist us, connecting us with different agencies that could address our specific needs. They even helped my daughter obtain her driving permit and enroll in college, ensuring that she could continue her education despite the challenges we faced. The kindness and compassion we encountered at Camp Graves and within the LTRG network were truly awe-inspiring. They guided us through the process, and on August 4, 2023, we were fortunate enough to qualify for a Hope Initiative house as well as a New Lease on Life house. We chose the house from New Lease on Life, and it has become the home of our dreams. Words cannot express the depth of our gratitude to everyone involved in helping us during this difficult period. The dedication and selflessness displayed by the LTRG team, the Camp Graves Board of Directors and Staff, and the countless other individuals and organizations involved, have left an everlasting impact on our lives. We are forever grateful for the kindness, support, and opportunities provided to us. The work being done by these incredible individuals is nothing short of a blessing, and we will never be able to thank them enough for the hope and stability they have restored to our lives."