It was originally supposed to be a surprise. But Katie Black, director of advising and registration for the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Science, knew that if she didn’t give former advisor Amy Sanders a heads up that Forestry Club students were coming to help clean up her yard from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, she would be totally overwhelmed.
The warning still didn’t stop the tears from flowing as Sanders, a Clemson employee for 34 years, which included working in CAFLS since 1996, as she watched numerous students with chain saws make quick work of the fallen trees, while others loaded up a trailer with debris to be hauled away.
It’s the least they could do for the woman who was like a second mom to them during their freshman and sophomore years before she retired in August of 2023.
“She helped all of us our freshman and sophomore years finding classes,” said Jackson Bell, a senior forestry major from Walterboro who is president of the Forestry Club. “If you ever needed anything, you could just all on her and she would help you out. It means a lot to be able to help her. She’s a good person.”
Paula Beecher, director of CAFLS alumni, career services and employer relations, reached out to another Forestry Club member, Emma Dunn, to let them know of the damage that had been done to Sanders’ home.
In all, eight trees had fallen in her yard, including three huge one’s in the backyard that were completely uprooted and one that rested on the side of the home she has resided in since 2001.
Sanders’ husband Mark passed away in December of 2022 and her two sons have graduated and moved away, leaving her an empty nester. Needless to say, Sanders was ecstatic to learn her former students were coming to help.
Jess Hartshorn, associate professor of forest health and the Forestry Club advisor, cancelled lab so the students could assist Sanders. It didn’t take Dunn long to round up volunteers.
One student didn’t hesitate was senior Jessica Padgett, a senior forestry major from Lexington. Padgett first learned of Sanders from her sister Ashley, who graduated from Clemson in 2019 with a degree in wildlife and fisheries biology. Ashley raved about Sanders to her sister.
“She told me to reach out to Ms. Amy because she’s such a caring person and if I needed any help with registering for classes or anything related to school, but also just myself mentally. She was always there for people.
It was the second time the club was able to assist after Hurricane Helene. When classes were cancelled immediately after the hurricane, Dunn said she and others were wondering if there was something they could do to help. She reached out to her mom so see if she knew of any places that were affected by the storm. Her mom told her to contact Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries in Greenwood.
Dunn said their campus had numerous large trees that had fallen. A group of about 30 Forestry Club members went to Greenwood and cut up trees on a patch of land they were assigned to.
“For me personally, it just means that the stuff we learn, the way we’re able to apply it and help others is the most important thing,” Dunn said. “If we’re able to take what we’ve learned and help others, I think that’s a good Clemson tradition. And I think all of us have that instilled in us.”
For more information on the Forestry Club or to assist with donations, contact Hartshorn at jhartsh@clemson.edu.
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