Yellowstone Actor Luke Grimes and the Jeff Ruby Family Distributing Water Filters to East Palestine Community

Ohio native and Yellowstone star Luke Grimes is partnering with the Jeff Ruby family to bring relief aid to the East Palestine community this week following a train derailment there in February.

Grimes and the Rubys will be in East Palestine the morning of Friday, March 31 to hand out 250 free water filtration systems to residents. They'll also be presenting East Palestine mayor Trent Conaway with a check for more than $100,000 to help with recovery aid. Filters will be distributed on a first-come-first-serve basis at The Original Roadhouse (333 W. Main St., East Palestine) starting at 8 a.m.

“We are extremely grateful for this generous donation from Luke Grimes and the Jeff Ruby Family. Their support will help us move forward toward our vision of a thriving and resilient community,” Conaway said in a press release.

On Feb. 6, a Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine, sending toxic fumes and chemicals into the air and onto the ground. The chemicals released from the train derailment near the site included butyl acrylate, vinyl chloride, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, and ethylhexyl acrylate. They're used in industrial processes including the production of lacquers, enamels, inks, adhesives, paint thinners and industrial cleaners, as well as plastic manufacturing. The colorless vinyl chloride has been associated with an increased risk of liver cancer and other cancers, according to the federal government’s National Cancer Institute.
In mid-February, the Environmental Protection Agency said it had screened nearly 300 homes and reported no detection of vinyl chloride or hydrogen chloride. However, even after receiving the green light to return to their homes, some residents considered signing up for independent soil and water testing.

“While our water is already safe to drink, the generous donation of water filtration systems will provide an extra layer of protection and peace of mind for our residents while further enhancing the quality of our water supply. We are grateful for everyone’s commitment to ensuring our community's health and safety,” Conaway continued.
“Luke Grimes and his team reached out to discuss how we could jointly assist the people of East Palestine in providing resources,” Britney Ruby Miller, CEO of Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment, said in the release. “Our foundation core values are helping people during disasters with immediate relief so we knew we had to help those in East Palestine. [Grimes] was eager to partner for immediate impact. We are honored he chose us for the mission.”

“Once I saw the news of the train derailment in East Palestine, I knew I had to do something to help the residents get back on their feet,” said Grimes, who grew up in Dayton, in the release. “With this visit and the dedicated fundraising, we hope we are able to continue to shine a light on this devastating incident and inspire others to step up and help too.”

Proceeds from merchandise sold for Grimes’ new single, “Oh Ohio,” will also go toward helping East Palestine residents. You can buy merch through Amazon.


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