TWEETATHON As of 512 for each RT of this mag $5 up to $1250

will be donated to the Salvation Army in stricken

cities All companies welcome to add to the pot

TORNADO AID

MAY 12 - 19 2011

RESOURCE GUIDEHELP THOSE AFFECTED BY

THE SOUTHERN TORNADOES

In April amp May the US Suffered Its Deadliest

Tornado Outbreak in 86 Years as depicted on the google earth map above The South suffered the greatest

loss Georgia Alabama Tennessee Mississippi Arkansas amp Missouri Over 100 tornadoes leaving thousands homeless and over 340 fatalities With flooding imminent

This tragedy (amp being from the South) motivated me to create this guide to the myriad of ways you can help those in need Money is one way but there are so many other things we can do Donate clothing household goods give blood help rebuild The complete list of organizations amp contacts follows

We encourage you to share this guide with friends family on twitter facebook linked in etc You can even add it to your websitersquos sidebar with the embed code Join us as we keep the welfare and health of those affected in our thoughts and hearts amp send well wishes their way

Before

Dear Friends- The outpouring of support for our great state of Alabama during the recent aftermath of devastating weather has been nothing short of breathtaking After surveying the damage left by tornadoes that ravaged the area it wasnt difficult to wonder if the lives of so many of our neighbors could ever return to some sense of normal The Cupboards family was so blessed and is so fortunate to not have been directly hit by the brunt of this savage weather While we werent hit towns just a short drive away from home and work are now faced with vast amounts of damage and citizens without homes and jobs The local Alabama family has pulled together to help our neighbors- some municipalities are now turning volunteers away How awesome it is to see our local communities setting aside differences to help our neighbors Much attention has been given to the Tuscaloosa Alabama area While Tuscaloosa is perhaps the most densely populated area that was so deeply affected so many small towns and communities across the state and southeast were damaged and even wiped off the map My daily commute takes me through one of the damaged areas and the sights are overwhelming From my commute one can see more businesses damageddestroyed than homes While it may be comforting that someones home could have been spared they may now be out of a job Alabamians Southerners and Americans are not a people to be downtrodden The road to recovery in Alabama will be long and grieving for those lost will not be easy or quick Those whose lives were radically changed during the storms will rebuild with the encouragement and assistance of their neighbors locally and across the nation A simple Thank you will never be enough to express the gratitude for the support thoughts and prayers by so many around the country and world The efforts of this project are even more reassurance that we still live in the best country on earth We lift each other up even in the darkest of times I hope that youll seriously consider supporting your neighbors in Alabama There is still a need for help There are still ways that you can help Come see us- well always have a glass of sweet tea with your name on it Thanks again Nick Lovelady Sylacauga AL

These last 2 weeks have been crazy When they were reporting the tornados were getting close to our area I really didnt believe it would happen not Ringgold Georgia The tornado hit within a mile of my house fortunately we were spared

It wasnt until I saw the devastation for my own eyes that i truly believed what had happened My little community was ripped apart The local middle amp high school the local grocery store gas stations and most all of our fast food eateries are gone

I am so proud of our community It has been amazing to watch God work through all of us as we pull together to over come this catastrophe

Through my church (Ringgold United Methodist) we have helped serve 13629 meals tarped over 125 roofs removed debris from over 300 homes cut down so many trees we have lost count 3264 volunteers have provided 32112 man hours of free labor and over 40 shut-ins have been visited amp brought food daily

As of this Friday we move from First Response to Planning and Rebuilding Please keep our community in your thoughts and prayers as we move forward we have a long way to go

PeaceSandy

May 9 2011

As I woke up to sirens going off early in the morning of April 27 2011 little did I know this day would become one forever embedded into the hearts of Alabamians The damage and destruction throughout our state changed us dramatically

I did not think much of the warning as my husband said the tornado was far from us It is common for us in Alabama to have tornados this time of year and honestly unless I know it is close by I do not think twice Not anymore Later I found out the straight-line winds some as strong as 100 mph did great damage to areas close by Even though trees were down all around me and our power was out my children went to school

As the day wore on we learned more severe tornados were headed our way Schools dismissed early and the workplaces that did open which were not many closed to allow employees to go home Thanks goodness for modern technology as forecasters warned us what was coming in the late afternoon was going to be like some we had never experienced

I live in Birmingham AL but I grew up an hour away in Tuscaloosa home of The University of Alabama and Bear Bryant My father is a Yankee who came to Alabama to play basketball with the famed Rocket Eight met my mother and they made Tuscaloosa their home I am one of five children and am fortunate to have a wonderful tight knit family My parents and one of my sisters (with her husband and daughter) still live in Tuscaloosa so the roads between the two cities are well worn for us

Late that afternoon I hunkered down with my children in our ldquosafe placerdquo to watch the storms I became more and more concerned for my family in Tuscaloosa as tornados some as strong as F4s were headed directly for them I tried to call them and all landlines and cell phones were out After much futile effort my other three siblings and I began texting crazily between each other to see if anyone had heard from our family in Tuscaloosa Thank goodness for social media as my sister was able to ask on Facebook if our familyrsquos neighborhoods were okay Though we could not get in touch with my parents for 24 hours (friends did check on them for us) we knew they were okay as the storm did not affect their area of town My sister and her family were a different story

May 9 2011

Mary Kathryn and her family live in a beautiful older neighborhood in the middle of town called The Highlands where the trees are a couple of hundred years old She and her neighbors took the warnings seriously and she and her family hunkered down into the cellar in her basement During the tornado Mary Kathryn describes hearing trees fall as the entire house was shaking She could feel the back of her home being pulled off

13 With her teenage daughter crying and her praying there is no doubt in my mind someone was watching over them After the storm passed she could barely walk out of her home due to the trees power poles and power lines everywhere Even with the damage to her home Mary Kathryn was one of the fortunate ones as it looked like a bomb had gone off around her Trees were everywhere furniture was pulled out from the backs of houses window blown out etchellip If the tornado touched down like it did 18 mile from her her home and neighborsrsquo would be rubble

As I drive around the town I love I am saddened by the devastation You can drive down a street and all you will see is debris The death toll is not final and the property destruction assessment is still not complete So many have lost everything while others are still looking for loved ones

Yet Tuscaloosa is not the only area affected in our state by these storms The damage was great and widespread Many small towns such as Cullman Phil Campbell and Pratt City have lost lives and so much as well

It will take years to rebuild these areas but there is no doubt in my mind our state will come back stronger than ever I was amazed when volunteering in Tuscaloosa at the generosity of others If you think goodness is lost these days go to an affected area of this storm People are driving up with truckloads of bottled water and people from across the country are helping complete strangers with their needs This will not be fixed overnight but with the help of others it is on its way

Dana Wolter Birmingham AL

After

After

Image credits

CNN

New York Times

National Geographic

In April amp May the US Suffered Its Deadliest

Tornado Outbreak in 86 Years as depicted on the google earth map above The South suffered the greatest

loss Georgia Alabama Tennessee Mississippi Arkansas amp Missouri Over 100 tornadoes leaving thousands homeless and over 340 fatalities With flooding imminent

This tragedy (amp being from the South) motivated me to create this guide to the myriad of ways you can help those in need Money is one way but there are so many other things we can do Donate clothing household goods give blood help rebuild The complete list of organizations amp contacts follows

We encourage you to share this guide with friends family on twitter facebook linked in etc You can even add it to your websitersquos sidebar with the embed code Join us as we keep the welfare and health of those affected in our thoughts and hearts amp send well wishes their way

Before

Dear Friends- The outpouring of support for our great state of Alabama during the recent aftermath of devastating weather has been nothing short of breathtaking After surveying the damage left by tornadoes that ravaged the area it wasnt difficult to wonder if the lives of so many of our neighbors could ever return to some sense of normal The Cupboards family was so blessed and is so fortunate to not have been directly hit by the brunt of this savage weather While we werent hit towns just a short drive away from home and work are now faced with vast amounts of damage and citizens without homes and jobs The local Alabama family has pulled together to help our neighbors- some municipalities are now turning volunteers away How awesome it is to see our local communities setting aside differences to help our neighbors Much attention has been given to the Tuscaloosa Alabama area While Tuscaloosa is perhaps the most densely populated area that was so deeply affected so many small towns and communities across the state and southeast were damaged and even wiped off the map My daily commute takes me through one of the damaged areas and the sights are overwhelming From my commute one can see more businesses damageddestroyed than homes While it may be comforting that someones home could have been spared they may now be out of a job Alabamians Southerners and Americans are not a people to be downtrodden The road to recovery in Alabama will be long and grieving for those lost will not be easy or quick Those whose lives were radically changed during the storms will rebuild with the encouragement and assistance of their neighbors locally and across the nation A simple Thank you will never be enough to express the gratitude for the support thoughts and prayers by so many around the country and world The efforts of this project are even more reassurance that we still live in the best country on earth We lift each other up even in the darkest of times I hope that youll seriously consider supporting your neighbors in Alabama There is still a need for help There are still ways that you can help Come see us- well always have a glass of sweet tea with your name on it Thanks again Nick Lovelady Sylacauga AL

These last 2 weeks have been crazy When they were reporting the tornados were getting close to our area I really didnt believe it would happen not Ringgold Georgia The tornado hit within a mile of my house fortunately we were spared

It wasnt until I saw the devastation for my own eyes that i truly believed what had happened My little community was ripped apart The local middle amp high school the local grocery store gas stations and most all of our fast food eateries are gone

I am so proud of our community It has been amazing to watch God work through all of us as we pull together to over come this catastrophe

Through my church (Ringgold United Methodist) we have helped serve 13629 meals tarped over 125 roofs removed debris from over 300 homes cut down so many trees we have lost count 3264 volunteers have provided 32112 man hours of free labor and over 40 shut-ins have been visited amp brought food daily

As of this Friday we move from First Response to Planning and Rebuilding Please keep our community in your thoughts and prayers as we move forward we have a long way to go

PeaceSandy

May 9 2011

As I woke up to sirens going off early in the morning of April 27 2011 little did I know this day would become one forever embedded into the hearts of Alabamians The damage and destruction throughout our state changed us dramatically

I did not think much of the warning as my husband said the tornado was far from us It is common for us in Alabama to have tornados this time of year and honestly unless I know it is close by I do not think twice Not anymore Later I found out the straight-line winds some as strong as 100 mph did great damage to areas close by Even though trees were down all around me and our power was out my children went to school

As the day wore on we learned more severe tornados were headed our way Schools dismissed early and the workplaces that did open which were not many closed to allow employees to go home Thanks goodness for modern technology as forecasters warned us what was coming in the late afternoon was going to be like some we had never experienced

I live in Birmingham AL but I grew up an hour away in Tuscaloosa home of The University of Alabama and Bear Bryant My father is a Yankee who came to Alabama to play basketball with the famed Rocket Eight met my mother and they made Tuscaloosa their home I am one of five children and am fortunate to have a wonderful tight knit family My parents and one of my sisters (with her husband and daughter) still live in Tuscaloosa so the roads between the two cities are well worn for us

Late that afternoon I hunkered down with my children in our ldquosafe placerdquo to watch the storms I became more and more concerned for my family in Tuscaloosa as tornados some as strong as F4s were headed directly for them I tried to call them and all landlines and cell phones were out After much futile effort my other three siblings and I began texting crazily between each other to see if anyone had heard from our family in Tuscaloosa Thank goodness for social media as my sister was able to ask on Facebook if our familyrsquos neighborhoods were okay Though we could not get in touch with my parents for 24 hours (friends did check on them for us) we knew they were okay as the storm did not affect their area of town My sister and her family were a different story

May 9 2011

Mary Kathryn and her family live in a beautiful older neighborhood in the middle of town called The Highlands where the trees are a couple of hundred years old She and her neighbors took the warnings seriously and she and her family hunkered down into the cellar in her basement During the tornado Mary Kathryn describes hearing trees fall as the entire house was shaking She could feel the back of her home being pulled off

13 With her teenage daughter crying and her praying there is no doubt in my mind someone was watching over them After the storm passed she could barely walk out of her home due to the trees power poles and power lines everywhere Even with the damage to her home Mary Kathryn was one of the fortunate ones as it looked like a bomb had gone off around her Trees were everywhere furniture was pulled out from the backs of houses window blown out etchellip If the tornado touched down like it did 18 mile from her her home and neighborsrsquo would be rubble

As I drive around the town I love I am saddened by the devastation You can drive down a street and all you will see is debris The death toll is not final and the property destruction assessment is still not complete So many have lost everything while others are still looking for loved ones

Yet Tuscaloosa is not the only area affected in our state by these storms The damage was great and widespread Many small towns such as Cullman Phil Campbell and Pratt City have lost lives and so much as well

It will take years to rebuild these areas but there is no doubt in my mind our state will come back stronger than ever I was amazed when volunteering in Tuscaloosa at the generosity of others If you think goodness is lost these days go to an affected area of this storm People are driving up with truckloads of bottled water and people from across the country are helping complete strangers with their needs This will not be fixed overnight but with the help of others it is on its way

Dana Wolter Birmingham AL

After

After

Image credits

CNN

New York Times

National Geographic

Before

Dear Friends- The outpouring of support for our great state of Alabama during the recent aftermath of devastating weather has been nothing short of breathtaking After surveying the damage left by tornadoes that ravaged the area it wasnt difficult to wonder if the lives of so many of our neighbors could ever return to some sense of normal The Cupboards family was so blessed and is so fortunate to not have been directly hit by the brunt of this savage weather While we werent hit towns just a short drive away from home and work are now faced with vast amounts of damage and citizens without homes and jobs The local Alabama family has pulled together to help our neighbors- some municipalities are now turning volunteers away How awesome it is to see our local communities setting aside differences to help our neighbors Much attention has been given to the Tuscaloosa Alabama area While Tuscaloosa is perhaps the most densely populated area that was so deeply affected so many small towns and communities across the state and southeast were damaged and even wiped off the map My daily commute takes me through one of the damaged areas and the sights are overwhelming From my commute one can see more businesses damageddestroyed than homes While it may be comforting that someones home could have been spared they may now be out of a job Alabamians Southerners and Americans are not a people to be downtrodden The road to recovery in Alabama will be long and grieving for those lost will not be easy or quick Those whose lives were radically changed during the storms will rebuild with the encouragement and assistance of their neighbors locally and across the nation A simple Thank you will never be enough to express the gratitude for the support thoughts and prayers by so many around the country and world The efforts of this project are even more reassurance that we still live in the best country on earth We lift each other up even in the darkest of times I hope that youll seriously consider supporting your neighbors in Alabama There is still a need for help There are still ways that you can help Come see us- well always have a glass of sweet tea with your name on it Thanks again Nick Lovelady Sylacauga AL

These last 2 weeks have been crazy When they were reporting the tornados were getting close to our area I really didnt believe it would happen not Ringgold Georgia The tornado hit within a mile of my house fortunately we were spared

It wasnt until I saw the devastation for my own eyes that i truly believed what had happened My little community was ripped apart The local middle amp high school the local grocery store gas stations and most all of our fast food eateries are gone

I am so proud of our community It has been amazing to watch God work through all of us as we pull together to over come this catastrophe

Through my church (Ringgold United Methodist) we have helped serve 13629 meals tarped over 125 roofs removed debris from over 300 homes cut down so many trees we have lost count 3264 volunteers have provided 32112 man hours of free labor and over 40 shut-ins have been visited amp brought food daily

As of this Friday we move from First Response to Planning and Rebuilding Please keep our community in your thoughts and prayers as we move forward we have a long way to go

PeaceSandy

May 9 2011

As I woke up to sirens going off early in the morning of April 27 2011 little did I know this day would become one forever embedded into the hearts of Alabamians The damage and destruction throughout our state changed us dramatically

I did not think much of the warning as my husband said the tornado was far from us It is common for us in Alabama to have tornados this time of year and honestly unless I know it is close by I do not think twice Not anymore Later I found out the straight-line winds some as strong as 100 mph did great damage to areas close by Even though trees were down all around me and our power was out my children went to school

As the day wore on we learned more severe tornados were headed our way Schools dismissed early and the workplaces that did open which were not many closed to allow employees to go home Thanks goodness for modern technology as forecasters warned us what was coming in the late afternoon was going to be like some we had never experienced

I live in Birmingham AL but I grew up an hour away in Tuscaloosa home of The University of Alabama and Bear Bryant My father is a Yankee who came to Alabama to play basketball with the famed Rocket Eight met my mother and they made Tuscaloosa their home I am one of five children and am fortunate to have a wonderful tight knit family My parents and one of my sisters (with her husband and daughter) still live in Tuscaloosa so the roads between the two cities are well worn for us

Late that afternoon I hunkered down with my children in our ldquosafe placerdquo to watch the storms I became more and more concerned for my family in Tuscaloosa as tornados some as strong as F4s were headed directly for them I tried to call them and all landlines and cell phones were out After much futile effort my other three siblings and I began texting crazily between each other to see if anyone had heard from our family in Tuscaloosa Thank goodness for social media as my sister was able to ask on Facebook if our familyrsquos neighborhoods were okay Though we could not get in touch with my parents for 24 hours (friends did check on them for us) we knew they were okay as the storm did not affect their area of town My sister and her family were a different story

May 9 2011

Mary Kathryn and her family live in a beautiful older neighborhood in the middle of town called The Highlands where the trees are a couple of hundred years old She and her neighbors took the warnings seriously and she and her family hunkered down into the cellar in her basement During the tornado Mary Kathryn describes hearing trees fall as the entire house was shaking She could feel the back of her home being pulled off

13 With her teenage daughter crying and her praying there is no doubt in my mind someone was watching over them After the storm passed she could barely walk out of her home due to the trees power poles and power lines everywhere Even with the damage to her home Mary Kathryn was one of the fortunate ones as it looked like a bomb had gone off around her Trees were everywhere furniture was pulled out from the backs of houses window blown out etchellip If the tornado touched down like it did 18 mile from her her home and neighborsrsquo would be rubble

As I drive around the town I love I am saddened by the devastation You can drive down a street and all you will see is debris The death toll is not final and the property destruction assessment is still not complete So many have lost everything while others are still looking for loved ones

Yet Tuscaloosa is not the only area affected in our state by these storms The damage was great and widespread Many small towns such as Cullman Phil Campbell and Pratt City have lost lives and so much as well

It will take years to rebuild these areas but there is no doubt in my mind our state will come back stronger than ever I was amazed when volunteering in Tuscaloosa at the generosity of others If you think goodness is lost these days go to an affected area of this storm People are driving up with truckloads of bottled water and people from across the country are helping complete strangers with their needs This will not be fixed overnight but with the help of others it is on its way

Dana Wolter Birmingham AL

After

After

Image credits

CNN

New York Times

National Geographic

Dear Friends- The outpouring of support for our great state of Alabama during the recent aftermath of devastating weather has been nothing short of breathtaking After surveying the damage left by tornadoes that ravaged the area it wasnt difficult to wonder if the lives of so many of our neighbors could ever return to some sense of normal The Cupboards family was so blessed and is so fortunate to not have been directly hit by the brunt of this savage weather While we werent hit towns just a short drive away from home and work are now faced with vast amounts of damage and citizens without homes and jobs The local Alabama family has pulled together to help our neighbors- some municipalities are now turning volunteers away How awesome it is to see our local communities setting aside differences to help our neighbors Much attention has been given to the Tuscaloosa Alabama area While Tuscaloosa is perhaps the most densely populated area that was so deeply affected so many small towns and communities across the state and southeast were damaged and even wiped off the map My daily commute takes me through one of the damaged areas and the sights are overwhelming From my commute one can see more businesses damageddestroyed than homes While it may be comforting that someones home could have been spared they may now be out of a job Alabamians Southerners and Americans are not a people to be downtrodden The road to recovery in Alabama will be long and grieving for those lost will not be easy or quick Those whose lives were radically changed during the storms will rebuild with the encouragement and assistance of their neighbors locally and across the nation A simple Thank you will never be enough to express the gratitude for the support thoughts and prayers by so many around the country and world The efforts of this project are even more reassurance that we still live in the best country on earth We lift each other up even in the darkest of times I hope that youll seriously consider supporting your neighbors in Alabama There is still a need for help There are still ways that you can help Come see us- well always have a glass of sweet tea with your name on it Thanks again Nick Lovelady Sylacauga AL

These last 2 weeks have been crazy When they were reporting the tornados were getting close to our area I really didnt believe it would happen not Ringgold Georgia The tornado hit within a mile of my house fortunately we were spared

It wasnt until I saw the devastation for my own eyes that i truly believed what had happened My little community was ripped apart The local middle amp high school the local grocery store gas stations and most all of our fast food eateries are gone

I am so proud of our community It has been amazing to watch God work through all of us as we pull together to over come this catastrophe

Through my church (Ringgold United Methodist) we have helped serve 13629 meals tarped over 125 roofs removed debris from over 300 homes cut down so many trees we have lost count 3264 volunteers have provided 32112 man hours of free labor and over 40 shut-ins have been visited amp brought food daily

As of this Friday we move from First Response to Planning and Rebuilding Please keep our community in your thoughts and prayers as we move forward we have a long way to go

PeaceSandy

May 9 2011

As I woke up to sirens going off early in the morning of April 27 2011 little did I know this day would become one forever embedded into the hearts of Alabamians The damage and destruction throughout our state changed us dramatically

I did not think much of the warning as my husband said the tornado was far from us It is common for us in Alabama to have tornados this time of year and honestly unless I know it is close by I do not think twice Not anymore Later I found out the straight-line winds some as strong as 100 mph did great damage to areas close by Even though trees were down all around me and our power was out my children went to school

As the day wore on we learned more severe tornados were headed our way Schools dismissed early and the workplaces that did open which were not many closed to allow employees to go home Thanks goodness for modern technology as forecasters warned us what was coming in the late afternoon was going to be like some we had never experienced

I live in Birmingham AL but I grew up an hour away in Tuscaloosa home of The University of Alabama and Bear Bryant My father is a Yankee who came to Alabama to play basketball with the famed Rocket Eight met my mother and they made Tuscaloosa their home I am one of five children and am fortunate to have a wonderful tight knit family My parents and one of my sisters (with her husband and daughter) still live in Tuscaloosa so the roads between the two cities are well worn for us

Late that afternoon I hunkered down with my children in our ldquosafe placerdquo to watch the storms I became more and more concerned for my family in Tuscaloosa as tornados some as strong as F4s were headed directly for them I tried to call them and all landlines and cell phones were out After much futile effort my other three siblings and I began texting crazily between each other to see if anyone had heard from our family in Tuscaloosa Thank goodness for social media as my sister was able to ask on Facebook if our familyrsquos neighborhoods were okay Though we could not get in touch with my parents for 24 hours (friends did check on them for us) we knew they were okay as the storm did not affect their area of town My sister and her family were a different story

May 9 2011

Mary Kathryn and her family live in a beautiful older neighborhood in the middle of town called The Highlands where the trees are a couple of hundred years old She and her neighbors took the warnings seriously and she and her family hunkered down into the cellar in her basement During the tornado Mary Kathryn describes hearing trees fall as the entire house was shaking She could feel the back of her home being pulled off

13 With her teenage daughter crying and her praying there is no doubt in my mind someone was watching over them After the storm passed she could barely walk out of her home due to the trees power poles and power lines everywhere Even with the damage to her home Mary Kathryn was one of the fortunate ones as it looked like a bomb had gone off around her Trees were everywhere furniture was pulled out from the backs of houses window blown out etchellip If the tornado touched down like it did 18 mile from her her home and neighborsrsquo would be rubble

As I drive around the town I love I am saddened by the devastation You can drive down a street and all you will see is debris The death toll is not final and the property destruction assessment is still not complete So many have lost everything while others are still looking for loved ones

Yet Tuscaloosa is not the only area affected in our state by these storms The damage was great and widespread Many small towns such as Cullman Phil Campbell and Pratt City have lost lives and so much as well

It will take years to rebuild these areas but there is no doubt in my mind our state will come back stronger than ever I was amazed when volunteering in Tuscaloosa at the generosity of others If you think goodness is lost these days go to an affected area of this storm People are driving up with truckloads of bottled water and people from across the country are helping complete strangers with their needs This will not be fixed overnight but with the help of others it is on its way

Dana Wolter Birmingham AL

After

After

Image credits

CNN

New York Times

National Geographic

These last 2 weeks have been crazy When they were reporting the tornados were getting close to our area I really didnt believe it would happen not Ringgold Georgia The tornado hit within a mile of my house fortunately we were spared

It wasnt until I saw the devastation for my own eyes that i truly believed what had happened My little community was ripped apart The local middle amp high school the local grocery store gas stations and most all of our fast food eateries are gone

I am so proud of our community It has been amazing to watch God work through all of us as we pull together to over come this catastrophe

Through my church (Ringgold United Methodist) we have helped serve 13629 meals tarped over 125 roofs removed debris from over 300 homes cut down so many trees we have lost count 3264 volunteers have provided 32112 man hours of free labor and over 40 shut-ins have been visited amp brought food daily

As of this Friday we move from First Response to Planning and Rebuilding Please keep our community in your thoughts and prayers as we move forward we have a long way to go

PeaceSandy

May 9 2011

As I woke up to sirens going off early in the morning of April 27 2011 little did I know this day would become one forever embedded into the hearts of Alabamians The damage and destruction throughout our state changed us dramatically

I did not think much of the warning as my husband said the tornado was far from us It is common for us in Alabama to have tornados this time of year and honestly unless I know it is close by I do not think twice Not anymore Later I found out the straight-line winds some as strong as 100 mph did great damage to areas close by Even though trees were down all around me and our power was out my children went to school

As the day wore on we learned more severe tornados were headed our way Schools dismissed early and the workplaces that did open which were not many closed to allow employees to go home Thanks goodness for modern technology as forecasters warned us what was coming in the late afternoon was going to be like some we had never experienced

I live in Birmingham AL but I grew up an hour away in Tuscaloosa home of The University of Alabama and Bear Bryant My father is a Yankee who came to Alabama to play basketball with the famed Rocket Eight met my mother and they made Tuscaloosa their home I am one of five children and am fortunate to have a wonderful tight knit family My parents and one of my sisters (with her husband and daughter) still live in Tuscaloosa so the roads between the two cities are well worn for us

Late that afternoon I hunkered down with my children in our ldquosafe placerdquo to watch the storms I became more and more concerned for my family in Tuscaloosa as tornados some as strong as F4s were headed directly for them I tried to call them and all landlines and cell phones were out After much futile effort my other three siblings and I began texting crazily between each other to see if anyone had heard from our family in Tuscaloosa Thank goodness for social media as my sister was able to ask on Facebook if our familyrsquos neighborhoods were okay Though we could not get in touch with my parents for 24 hours (friends did check on them for us) we knew they were okay as the storm did not affect their area of town My sister and her family were a different story

May 9 2011

Mary Kathryn and her family live in a beautiful older neighborhood in the middle of town called The Highlands where the trees are a couple of hundred years old She and her neighbors took the warnings seriously and she and her family hunkered down into the cellar in her basement During the tornado Mary Kathryn describes hearing trees fall as the entire house was shaking She could feel the back of her home being pulled off

13 With her teenage daughter crying and her praying there is no doubt in my mind someone was watching over them After the storm passed she could barely walk out of her home due to the trees power poles and power lines everywhere Even with the damage to her home Mary Kathryn was one of the fortunate ones as it looked like a bomb had gone off around her Trees were everywhere furniture was pulled out from the backs of houses window blown out etchellip If the tornado touched down like it did 18 mile from her her home and neighborsrsquo would be rubble

As I drive around the town I love I am saddened by the devastation You can drive down a street and all you will see is debris The death toll is not final and the property destruction assessment is still not complete So many have lost everything while others are still looking for loved ones

Yet Tuscaloosa is not the only area affected in our state by these storms The damage was great and widespread Many small towns such as Cullman Phil Campbell and Pratt City have lost lives and so much as well

It will take years to rebuild these areas but there is no doubt in my mind our state will come back stronger than ever I was amazed when volunteering in Tuscaloosa at the generosity of others If you think goodness is lost these days go to an affected area of this storm People are driving up with truckloads of bottled water and people from across the country are helping complete strangers with their needs This will not be fixed overnight but with the help of others it is on its way

Dana Wolter Birmingham AL

After

After

Image credits

CNN

New York Times

National Geographic

May 9 2011

As I woke up to sirens going off early in the morning of April 27 2011 little did I know this day would become one forever embedded into the hearts of Alabamians The damage and destruction throughout our state changed us dramatically

I did not think much of the warning as my husband said the tornado was far from us It is common for us in Alabama to have tornados this time of year and honestly unless I know it is close by I do not think twice Not anymore Later I found out the straight-line winds some as strong as 100 mph did great damage to areas close by Even though trees were down all around me and our power was out my children went to school

As the day wore on we learned more severe tornados were headed our way Schools dismissed early and the workplaces that did open which were not many closed to allow employees to go home Thanks goodness for modern technology as forecasters warned us what was coming in the late afternoon was going to be like some we had never experienced

I live in Birmingham AL but I grew up an hour away in Tuscaloosa home of The University of Alabama and Bear Bryant My father is a Yankee who came to Alabama to play basketball with the famed Rocket Eight met my mother and they made Tuscaloosa their home I am one of five children and am fortunate to have a wonderful tight knit family My parents and one of my sisters (with her husband and daughter) still live in Tuscaloosa so the roads between the two cities are well worn for us

Late that afternoon I hunkered down with my children in our ldquosafe placerdquo to watch the storms I became more and more concerned for my family in Tuscaloosa as tornados some as strong as F4s were headed directly for them I tried to call them and all landlines and cell phones were out After much futile effort my other three siblings and I began texting crazily between each other to see if anyone had heard from our family in Tuscaloosa Thank goodness for social media as my sister was able to ask on Facebook if our familyrsquos neighborhoods were okay Though we could not get in touch with my parents for 24 hours (friends did check on them for us) we knew they were okay as the storm did not affect their area of town My sister and her family were a different story

May 9 2011

Mary Kathryn and her family live in a beautiful older neighborhood in the middle of town called The Highlands where the trees are a couple of hundred years old She and her neighbors took the warnings seriously and she and her family hunkered down into the cellar in her basement During the tornado Mary Kathryn describes hearing trees fall as the entire house was shaking She could feel the back of her home being pulled off

13 With her teenage daughter crying and her praying there is no doubt in my mind someone was watching over them After the storm passed she could barely walk out of her home due to the trees power poles and power lines everywhere Even with the damage to her home Mary Kathryn was one of the fortunate ones as it looked like a bomb had gone off around her Trees were everywhere furniture was pulled out from the backs of houses window blown out etchellip If the tornado touched down like it did 18 mile from her her home and neighborsrsquo would be rubble

As I drive around the town I love I am saddened by the devastation You can drive down a street and all you will see is debris The death toll is not final and the property destruction assessment is still not complete So many have lost everything while others are still looking for loved ones

Yet Tuscaloosa is not the only area affected in our state by these storms The damage was great and widespread Many small towns such as Cullman Phil Campbell and Pratt City have lost lives and so much as well

It will take years to rebuild these areas but there is no doubt in my mind our state will come back stronger than ever I was amazed when volunteering in Tuscaloosa at the generosity of others If you think goodness is lost these days go to an affected area of this storm People are driving up with truckloads of bottled water and people from across the country are helping complete strangers with their needs This will not be fixed overnight but with the help of others it is on its way

Dana Wolter Birmingham AL

After

After

Image credits

CNN

New York Times

National Geographic

May 9 2011

Mary Kathryn and her family live in a beautiful older neighborhood in the middle of town called The Highlands where the trees are a couple of hundred years old She and her neighbors took the warnings seriously and she and her family hunkered down into the cellar in her basement During the tornado Mary Kathryn describes hearing trees fall as the entire house was shaking She could feel the back of her home being pulled off

13 With her teenage daughter crying and her praying there is no doubt in my mind someone was watching over them After the storm passed she could barely walk out of her home due to the trees power poles and power lines everywhere Even with the damage to her home Mary Kathryn was one of the fortunate ones as it looked like a bomb had gone off around her Trees were everywhere furniture was pulled out from the backs of houses window blown out etchellip If the tornado touched down like it did 18 mile from her her home and neighborsrsquo would be rubble

As I drive around the town I love I am saddened by the devastation You can drive down a street and all you will see is debris The death toll is not final and the property destruction assessment is still not complete So many have lost everything while others are still looking for loved ones

Yet Tuscaloosa is not the only area affected in our state by these storms The damage was great and widespread Many small towns such as Cullman Phil Campbell and Pratt City have lost lives and so much as well

It will take years to rebuild these areas but there is no doubt in my mind our state will come back stronger than ever I was amazed when volunteering in Tuscaloosa at the generosity of others If you think goodness is lost these days go to an affected area of this storm People are driving up with truckloads of bottled water and people from across the country are helping complete strangers with their needs This will not be fixed overnight but with the help of others it is on its way

Dana Wolter Birmingham AL

After

After

Image credits

CNN

New York Times

National Geographic

After

After

Image credits

CNN

New York Times

National Geographic

After

Image credits

CNN

New York Times

National Geographic

DONATE

American Red CrossThe American Red Cross has set up shelters to

house people displaced by the storms It is

serving meals offering clean-up supplies and

needs blood donations

Donate to the Red Cross online at redcrossorg

or at these local chapters

Northwest Georgia Chapter

112 John Maddox Dr NW

Rome GA 30165

Phone 706-291-6648

West Alabama Chapter

1100 Veterans Memorial Pkwy

Tuscaloosa AL 35404

Phone 205-758-3608

The Salvation ArmyThe Salvation Armyrsquos

Emergency Disaster Services

is providing food drinks and

spiritual support to storm

survivors in Alabama

Mississippi and Tennessee

You can donate online

at salvationarmyusaorg You

can also call 1-800-SAL-

ARMY (1-800-725-2769) and

designate rdquo funds to the April

2011 Tornado Outbreakrdquo

Checks can be sent to

Salvation Army Disaster

Relief

PO Box 100339

Atlanta GA

DONATE BY TEXTHGTV Raise the Roof fund Text BUILD to 85944 to donate $10 to relief efforts Red Cross Text REDCROSS to 90999 on your cell phone to donate $10 to relief efforts Salvation Army Text ldquoGIVErdquo to 80888 to make a $10 donation

Ways to Help

Info in part courtesy httpthebertshowcom

VOLUNTEER

Alabamarsquos Emergency Relief FundThe Alabama Governorrsquos Office of Faith-based

and Community Initiatives helps residents

business and organizations in the event of

extreme emergency You can also volunteer

- visit servealabamagov to find out how

Mississippi Disaster Recovery FundThe governorrsquos office created the fund to help

with disaster relief Visit mississippireliefcom

for more volunteer details

Volunteer Opportunities (Federal)The Corporation for National and Community

Service coordinates volunteer efforts Go

Ways to Help

Quotes courtesy Forbes