Thoughts, Prayers And Condolences

For a few weeks now, we at Wickles Pickles have tossed around the idea of a live community based blog about our awesome products, social events of all types that we enjoy, our fabulous customers and as many positive things about life that can be squeezed into a written blog spot. Our first inclination was to announce our blog with open invitations to all customers and their comments about all of the tasty Wickles products that so many love. No doubt that kind of interaction in the future will be be a major part of this undertaking, but unfortunately on the eve of our very own blog launch, a life changing event occurred within our family. Last Wednesday, April 27, 2011, multiple tornadoes ripped through The Great State of Alabama and decimated massive amounts of land, killing hundreds of people and forever scarring all of us who managed to live despite the efforts of some of the most dangerous storms anyone has ever survived. From Tuscaloosa to Dadeville and from The Shoals to the beautiful mountain valleys of NE Alabama, homes, lives and property were permanently changed last Wednesday forever. We at Wickles Pickles are also digging out from beneath the rubble, and would like to take the time now to offer our thoughts, prayers and condolences to all of the victims of these epic storms. You will not be forgotten.

The easy part about all of this is going back to work. In Dadeville, AL, where The Wickles Family headquarters is located, our main office, warehouse and shipping distribution center was completely mangled. Day to day business operations have temporarily stopped but we will be shipping product from a substitute location in Opelika, AL by the end of the first week of May. If you are expecting a shipment and have any questions about it's delivery, PLEASE do not hesitate to call us beginning Monday, May 2nd for any inquiry. We promise, our goal is to be operational ASAP so all of us can get back to some sort of normalcy while enjoying those tasty Wickles products. Also, you can check out our website 24 hours a day here: http://www.simsfoods.com/.

The hard part of all of this will be understanding why this happened. Our business will be rebuilt stronger and better than ever. That warehouse expansion question we have all been discussing behind the scenes has obviously been answered. That is a silver lining I suppose, but if you are somewhere around the world reading this and have not seen the wreckage caused by this storms, I implore you to take a few moments online to research just what exactly happened. You will be shocked. Witnessing first hand what one of these tornadoes can do to a two hundred year old oak tree, a house, a farm, etc. has eternally altered all of us within The Wickles Family. If you can also, take the time to give blood now, donate essentials to The Red Cross like money, clothing, toilet paper, blankets, toothpaste, razors, etc. Thousands here have lost everything and everything right now is in short supply.

What is not in short supply is the great spirit of the south shining brighter than ever during the aftermath of these killer storms. White, Red, Yellow or Black, Auburn or Alabama, whatever all of our differences, it is obvious that people in Alabama care more about each other right now than I can ever remember. The Wickles Family is very proud to be part of that kindred spirit and hope that this blog will be another reminder to all who enjoy our products that no matter the circumstances, we will all rise above this pain and destruction together. The line of the day from one of The Wickles storm victims last Thursday overheard during a meeting was "I may have lost my shoes, but I have not lost my mind!" Right on and God Bless to everyone from The Wickles Family.