Give Until it Hurts
Sunday night tornadoes ripped through the tiny communities of Parkersburg and New Hartford here in central Iowa. At this moment the death toll stands at 7 between the two communities, with at least 50 injured. There’s a roundup here.
The reason I’m writing this entry is in the hope that some of my visitors might be compelled to donate to the victims of this tragedy. The local chapter of the American Red Cross’s website is here, and they have instructions on how to make donations.
I have donated what money I can, and my wife and I are taking over a load of children’s clothes tonight that our daughter has outgrown.
My brother’s ex-mother in law lives in Parkersburg, and although the tornado missed her house, the entire town is shut down regarding electricity, water, and gas.
My brother’s ex-wife’s cousin is the manager of the Pizza Ranch, which was mentioned in the story above. She was at work when the tornado hit, and was responsible for ushering her customers and employees into the bathroom. A car landed on the roof, and the building collapsed, but nobody inside was injured.
Several of my co-workers are first responders with the local fire departments and paramedics, and the stories I heard at work today would have been more at place in a group of soldiers returning from Iraq than from small town firefighters.
A tornado is devastating under normal conditions, butwhen one strikes such small, tightly-knit communities, the horror is multiplied exponentially. If you can give anything, please do. Every little bit helps.
Parkersburg, Iowa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Parkersburg Tornado Rated EF5". National Weather Service (2008-05-27) ... Parkersburg, Iowa is at coordinates 42°34′28′′N 92°47′12′′W / 42.574419, -92. ...
DesMoinesRegister.com | Parkersburg Tornado: the Aftermath | The Des ...
The tornado wiped out the southern third of Parkersburg, Iowa. ... Parkersburg tornado: Beginning to rebuild ... More about Iowa's deadly tornado ...
Report: Tornado Damage Estimates Top $6 Million, So Far - Des Moines ...
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Residents of Parkersburg are winding down their search for reminders of their lives after a tornado tore through the community last weekend. ...
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