"When we pulled up at a tent where used to be someone's home, this boy came out who was about 7 or 8 years old," she recalls vividly from her trip to the hurricane-ravaged area. "After he helped us give the people what they needed, he asked, 'Now will you come help my family?"
They had thought this was his family, but the storm and its after-effects had matured him immensely. He helped others first.
Allen then remembers the boy- wearing nothing but shorts and overshoes- racing on a bicycle he had salvaged ahead of their truck to his parents. "I thought about '... and a child shall lead them."
"He helped get stuff out for his family, and he wasn't looking for toys or candy," she said "He got flashlights, batteries, underwear- the necessities."
The boy did ask for one thing for himself, a pair of size seven tennis shoes. The group didn't have any but Allen searched throughout the night for a pair back at the camp. Finally she found some size 7.5 shoes and took them back the next day, but he wasn't there. She left them at his tent.
"I cried that night. I cried every night for these people who have lost everything," she said. "Every morning we prayed for God to lead us where we needed to go that day, and always our prayers were answered as we found ways to help others."
Allen led a large Logan County delegation to a Seventh Day Adventist Church that had been turned into a relief camp. Logan County Sheriff Wallace Whittaker had cut through the red tape to keep the group from having to waste three days doing FEMA paper work in Atlanta before they could go to the devastated area.
The camp was about 70 miles inland. The group went to Waveland on the coast, or what was left of it. There wasn't much.
The group, which went under the name Logan County Fire Rescue but didn't have to fight any fires, included 13 employees of Logan Aluminum where Allen is emergency services specialist and assistant fire chief.
Others in the original crew from Logan Aluminum were Terry Cole, Chris Mayhugh, James Taylor, John DeArmond, Richie Gloyd, Eddie Schweers, Tommy Nelson, David Dukes and Steve Gray.
Logan's Van Mitchell, Ron Threlkeld and Jay Woodard came down with a second truck load of food and clothing, which went directly to Laurel, Miss. where Miguel Santiago- a military man from Logan- had requested help.
Joey and Sherry White of Lewisburg brought a third truck of supplies.
The original group took several other vehicles, including backhoes and bobcats. "They were amazed at the skills of the people we brought. We had mechanics, electricians, firefighters, heavy equipment operators, EMTs, chaplains and two sheriff's deputies (David Kitchens and Clint Wright)," noted Allen.
Others who were part of the delegation were Joe Harlan, Robert Harper, Maxey Rittenberry, Matt King, Phillip Hunt, and Jody Moody.
Allen said Logan Aluminum and one of its associate owners, ARCO Metals, made substantial monetary contributions to the cause and also helped the employees find ways to switch their work schedules to make the trip.
Allen says she plans to go back before long.
"This was a great spiritual experience for us. Many denominations who believe in the same God were able to work together. It was like another Great Revival," said Allen, who has amazed onlookers at local parades for years as a strikingly pretty woman who will climb a tall ladder fearlessly without a net. She knows what she and the others did on this trip was far more significant..
Allen's husband Tim is helping her put together a visual program on what they did and the needs of the people in the Gulf States. She said it will soon be available to present to churches.
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