The hero is one who kindles a great light in the world, who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of

life for men to see by. – Felix Adler

“She just looked like she was sleeping like a baby, but she wasn’t sleeping. She was gone.”

And it was true. 16-year-old Christina Heichelbech lost her life, the victim of an EF-3 tornado that destroyed much of the small town of Clay, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham – and also my home.

On Monday, January 23, 2012, at 3:58 am, the deadly EF-3, as wide as 8 football fields laid end to end, packing winds of 150 mph, cut through our community. It destroyed or damaged nearly 300 homes, injured over 100 people, and left the landscape looking like a war zone. Roofs ripped from homes, houses reduced to splintered piles of rubble, cars buried under trees and debris, and trees twisted out of the ground with their root balls still intact, tossed across roads and power lines. Gas lines were ruptured, power lines were downed, roads and streets were impassable, strewn with the detritus of life and home and family.

Families wandered in the pre-dawn darkness, barefoot and pajama clad, dazed, looking like zombies. Lost and shocked, unable to comprehend the utter destruction, the ruins in the rain.

We went to sleep on a normal Sunday night, and awoke on Monday to a world that was changed forever.

And that is when the magic started.

Before dawn, they began to arrive. Firemen, policemen, members of the armed forces, neighbors and family members and friends. And they kept coming. Strangers from across town, from other cities, from other states. It began with a trickle that became a full-fledged flood of helping hands and listening ears and strong backs. They came with chainsaws and blankets. They came with sandwiches and fresh-baked cookies. They came with coffee and water and soft drinks. They came with kind hearts and teary eyes. They came with grills and supplies and fresh clothes and diapers. They came.

Heroes.

Webster’s defines hero as “a person admired for his achievements and noble qualities or one who shows great courage”. In Greek mythology, a hero was a demigod. They figured heavily in the ancient Greek religion. In time, the concept of a hero was someone who faced danger and difficulty, but pressed on to help others in need.

That is a great description of those who showed up in Clay Alabama in the hours and days following the devastation. They worked tirelessly, cutting trees and moving tons of debris. They delivered food and supplies, and opened their homes to those rendered homeless by the storm. They made sandwiches and iced tea and drew colorful inspirational pictures on lunch bags. They gave to others from their own pantry, their own closet, their own wallet.

Their jobs done, many of our heroes have begun to pack their trucks and cars with their tools and supplies, ready for the next call of someone in need. They will be leaving us soon.

But Clay, Alabama is a better place because of them. Our streets are cleared, the destruction has been organized into neat piles of wood and metal and plastic and glass that line the roadside everywhere you go. We have places to sleep and clothes to wear. We have food to eat and warm blankets to cover our beds. We have new friends who proved themselves in the crucible of disaster as someone who listened and comforted us when we broke into tears without warning.

And as important as all those things are, and as appreciated as they are, our heroes leave an even greater legacy. In their wake, they leave inspiration. They leave a bright spot on a horizon that is otherwise dark and discouraging.

Our heroes leave us with a sense of hope. And maybe, of one day, becoming heroes ourselves.

Terry D. Newberry

Clay, Alabama

1 February 2012

On the evening of April 27th the world suddenly changed for many people in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. That is when one of the largest outbreak of tornadoes recorded in over a century hit that area. Homes were destroyed, business wiped out, families torn apart, and over one hundred people were killed. This is tragedy of the first order.

On Thursday, May 5, Tip Top received a desperate call from Jay McAnnally, the chaplain of Carl Black Automotive. People were in crisis and needed food, drinks and something to keep food cold so it wouldn’t spoil. His comment was, we didn’t know who to call for food, but we knew that everybody loves chicken so we called Tip Top Poultry, because Tip Top has the chicken, but more importantly the “heart” to be a good neighbor and help out in a time of need.

That is all it took. Tip Top moved quickly to get a refrigerated trailer and fill it with chicken and ice. The trailer swung by a leadership conference that Tip Top was co-sponsoring and picked up many cases of drinks that attendees donated. From there our driver took the goods to Higdon Alabama and parked the trailer at the Higdon Baptist Church so that local ministers and their congregations could distribute the food.

Kim Smith, wife of one of the pastors said “We appreciate the chicken, drinks and the refrigerated trailer from Tip Top so much. The Salvation Army had a mobile kitchen to cook the chicken and a local American Legion also cooked and distributed the food to the needy. People came from everywhere to get some food. Tip Top Poultry and Carl Black Automotive were the only outside companies to respond to our forgotten area in the north Alabama mountains and we will never forget your generosity.”

We are telling you this story because all Tip Top employees can take some pride in being a part of this effort. We have included some of the pictures of our employees who loaded the truck, and hauled it to those in need. They represent our entire Tip Top family. We also included the picture of the gift of one employee, who wanted to make a donation of a roll of quarters and a $5.00 bill to the cause and there were others who said that they would be glad to take a vacation day to come and help where needed. What wonderful employees we have – this truly is the best place to work, when we are surrounded with such loving, caring employees.

“International Paper has provided critical assistance in product development, equipment support, and innovative packaging at our facilities. Their commitment to our business helps us provide the high quality, low cost poultry products that our customers demand. It is an honor to work with them as a strategic supplier,” said Brad Respess, Chief Operating Officer. Representing International Paper and accepting the award were Jimmy Fielding, Segment Business Manager and Ben Mundy, Poultry Account Manager.

For over 60 years, Tip Top Poultry has been committed to producing “Tip Top” quality food products for retailers, distributors, and food manufacturers. Standing firm on quality and service, Tip Top supplies Top Bee baking hens, fully cooked chicken dices and strips, and savory ingredients worldwide.

“Tip Top Poultry continues to be one of the City of Rockmart’s strongest customers, remaining among the top ten taxpayers and top utility users,” stated Pam Herring, the Rockmart City Clerk. “Their strong presence is such a positive asset to the community and it’s apparent through their dedication to continue to grow and be a partner to the City of Rockmart and its citizens.”

Tip Top Poultry is partnering with Griffco Design / Build, Inc. as its general contractor for the project. Griffco is a renowned firm that specializes in the design and construction of refrigerated and frozen food distribution and proecessing facilities throughout the United States.

“We are excited about the new facility; the path it provides and the positive impact on future endeavors,” commented Don Lovette, Tip Top’s senior manager for operations in Rockmart. “We will be positioned to better serve our customers, the community, and our employees.”

During the day, Tip Top’s COO, Brad Respess, made the following remarks:

“Rockmart has been a great location for our facility. The local community has been a big supporter of ours and the municipal infrastructure provides the needed resources for us to expand our operations. We are committed to running the best food production plant in the country and the investment in the facility through this project reaffirms our commitment.

“This has been a phenomenal year for the Tip Top team in Rockmart. Because of their great performance and the favor of God, we have seen increased demand for our products and services. We feel confident investing in this community because we are able to partner for long term sustainable growth. We appreciate Rockmart and look forward to more successes together in the years ahead.“

“It is an honor to recognize our 2010 Cornerstone Partners, VIP Partners and Brand Partner and be able to celebrate their contributions to Gordon Food Service and our customers. Their support and commitment help us deliver innovative, quality products and high-service levels that our customers need,” said Jim Gordon, President.

Since 1897, the people of Gordon Food Service have been committed to delivering uncompromising quality, outstanding value and exceptional customer service. What began as a simple butter-and-egg delivery service is today North America’s largest family-owned and managed broadline foodservice distributor. Gordon Food Service distributes to foodservice operators throughout the Midwest and along the entire East Coast of the United States and coast to coast in Canada. The company also operates over 135 GFS Marketplace® retail stores which are open to the public and provide the benefits of restaurant-quality products and friendly, knowledgeable service without membership fee.

The 2009 Gobble Jog event hosted 6,500 participants from all 50 States and generated over $230,000 to help combat poverty and homelessness in Cobb County, Cherokee County, and the surrounding area. This event is expected to raise over $260,000 for MUST Ministries providing food, shelter, clothing and services for individuals and families needing assistance or in crisis.

In the last four months, MUST has served 17,854 meals provided 6,668 bed nights of rest and gave 4,641 pounds of food, with 49% of those served being children. Tip Top’s commitment will help MUST better plan for the services and program enhancements needed for the community.

Registration information for the Gobble Jog can be found at www.gobblejog.org. Information on MUST Ministries can be found at its website, www.mustministries.org.

“We are excited to be a part of WorkMatters,” commented Tip Top COO Brad Respess. “On my journey through life, I was encouraged by seasoned business leaders to integrate my faith throughout my life. The WorkMatters Speaker Series will provide an opportunity for other business people to hear the same encouragement: to integrate our faith into our work.”

More information on Marietta WorkMatters and instructions on how to register for the events can be found at its website, www.mariettaworkmatters.org.

During the challenge, ten teams with five members on each team participated in the contest to reduce the average BMI for the team by the biggest percentage over 30 days. The winning team lost over 97 pounds combined, while the entire group lost 674 pounds. Eighteen participants improved from one category on the BMI chart (categories are “Normal”, “Overweight”, “Obese”, and “Extremely Obese”) to another category. Three of the participants lost more than 20 pounds.

As Director of EHS, Mr. Hopkins will be working with the operations, supply chain, quality, and human resources teams to develop programs and practices for over 30 areas of our business. Although he will not be responsible for carrying out all of the tasks to fulfill Tip Top’s responsibility, he will verify their work to ensure compliance.

“His role is critical to the community around the plants, the folks downstream from our plants, and the people working at the plants,” said Tip Top’s Executive Vice President, Brad Respess. “Over the last few years, Matt has been instrumental in improving our waste water operations, capturing additional value for various sales program, and improving the quality of the storm water that flows from our properties. We look forward to his contribution in these new responsibilities.”