‘Winter Care Program’ helps Lexingtonians who can’t stay home, need essentials

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – When everyone’s telling you to stay home, some people still can’t. They have to pick up essential medication or go to work to help save lives. The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office makes sure that’s possible with its ‘Winter Care Program.’

With another blast of winter weather sweeping through Lexington, the sheriff’s office says it’s responded to several calls from people needing help moving around.

“You guys doing okay,” Lieutenant Colonel Rodrick Robinson asked Stephenie Stampers as he picked her up Tuesday afternoon.

“I have my granddaughter helping me, I’m blessed,” Stampers replied.

Stamper is a nurse at Bridgepointe Senior Living in Nicholasville; making it to work to see her patients means a lot to her and to them.

“They smile when they see me come in, and they recognize me – some of them do – and we’re here to take care of them,” Stampers said.

Stamper wouldn’t be able to get there in these icy conditions without help.

The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office started the Winter Care Program 18 years ago after the devastating 2003 ice storm.

Deputies take health care staffers to work, bring people to medical appointments, pick up prescriptions, provide welfare checks and more.

“It makes me feel great, again, our job is to protect and serve and a lot of people don’t realize the service part – well, this is part of the service part,” Robinson said.

He said the sheriff’s office has helped hundreds of people just since last week.

“The great thing about it is you get to meet a lot of nice individuals who really appreciate.”

People like in-home caretaker, Tammy Johnson.

“People are bed-ridden and can’t get out of the bed to take a shower,” Johnson said.

She thinks about how she would feel in that situation – bad weather or not.

“I would want someone to come help me out too, regardless, so it’s really no days off,” Johnson said.

If you need to utilize the program, call the Office of the Fayette County Sheriff and ask for Winter Care: 859-252-1771.