Relief Work in Oklahoma

The second week of June Casey and I made a trip south to do some tornado relief work in and around Oklahoma City. The devastation I saw has changed me. Whenever possible I plan to find a way to help in relief efforts. Dozens of cities are struck every tornado season and I have always felt inclined to help, but didn't see how, especially with two young children. I watched the tornado as it pummeled neighborhoods for miles and miles and knew this time would be different...I would go and do whatever was needed. My parents were gracious enough to watch the boys and our good friends the Kaelbers opened their spare bedroom to us. Casey requested for the time off from work and his company allowed him the day at no charge to him.

We met up with a few from our new church in Topeka and worked two different sites with the same organization...Poured Out. The first day we were separating scrap metal from the piles of debris. Skilled workers were running large machinery demoing homes and we would come in behind separating out the metal and clearing the small debris that couldn't be scooped with the loaders/dozers/backhoes. Poured Out charges the homeowners nothing to clear their debris. They use the recycled scrap metal and donations to fund their operation. There was so much to clear away it didn't even really feel like we were doing much to help. I can't describe how much work there is to be done.

The second day we worked east of Moore approximately thirty miles in a rural community I can only guess is called Pecan Grove. I used Google maps to figure out we were just south of Newalla, Oklahoma. The home we worked on was owned by a couple who had lived their whole lives in California and had only recently moved to Oklahoma. The husband moved in October and his wife and two daughters followed in January. The tornado shredded half their home, but the family and all their critters and ten of their neighbors were kept safe in their tiny underground shelter. I would have guessed that eight full sized people would fit comfortably in standing room only and they had 14 people and six dogs. We spent our day clearing tree debris, house debris, and resetting fence lines. A few in our group built a dog kennel for her dogs and one small uniloader cleared the home so they can begin the rebuilding process. The daughters were sent back to California until the new home is finished and the wife and husband are living in their small camper they had purchased the week before the tornado. It, incredibly, suffered very minor damage.

I feel like we spent a tiny amount of time working when compared to the volume of things that need to be cleaned up. One couple we met while working had given up three weeks vacation in Palm Beach, Florida to fly from New York to OKC and work instead. I had to remind myself that while what we had to offer felt like little, if others would offer what little they had it would add up to a whole lot of help. And, I know there will be work for several months to come. I am hoping to make a return trip in the Fall to volunteer again. There is so much to be done and every little bit helps.

I debated whether or not to take pictures while I was there. I decided I would in the hopes that someone else would be inspired to offer what help they can. For some of the photos here I have included the Google Street views so that you can see how they were before the tornados.

This is my beautiful Kansas Flint Hills which we drove through on our way to OKC.

I've got a very special place in my heart for Kansas sunsets.

I believe this was the Moore Medical Center that was highly televised.

We cleaned up debris around this home.

I can't imagine being either family in this situation.

The one's selling hadn't yet moved out.

 

Google Street view in 2011.

And, the same corner and direction now.

Our views pretty much throughout the first neighborhood we worked in.

A cleared slab.

A short video of clearing a house in progress.

 

Google Street view of the home in 2011.

The same home post tornado in the process of being completely demolished.

The homeowner is in this picture watching.

She left so many things in the home.

She explained that it became too overwhelming to sift through the debris,

and that it felt easier to walk away and start anew.

Food trucks drove around regularly handing out fresh fruit and cool drinks to crews.

We sliced this watermelon up with my pocket knife. Very Okie.

 

Google Street view in 2011.

The blown out RV now. House still standing.

 

Google Street View 2011.

Homes now practically leveled.

It doesn't even look like the same street.

The Moore Medical Center again.

A full sized pick up truck...what's left of it anyway.

 

Google Street view July 2012, just a year ago.

The view now.

Debris piled two stories high.

We worked at this home the second day.

Guys from our church trimming trees.

 

The view of the home one year ago.

The home now.

The uniloader had taken down the garage before this photo,

however the rest was taken by the tornado.

Sliced it in half horizontally.

Lunch break at a local church and twenty yards of ten foot high water cases.

The entire church had become a storehouse for victims to get necessities.

The homeowner we met were so grateful. The homeowner the second day worked right along side us the whole day. It was a privilege to be able to help and I only wish we could have stayed longer.