Community rallies around Friday storm victims

WASHINGTON — News of devastation from a severe storms between Wellman and Keota Friday has sparked a wave of fundraisers, supply drives and support efforts for the people hit hardest.

As the skies cleared and sun began to set March 31, friends and family members had already stepped up to clear debris, relocate valuables, and offer beds to neighbors who lost homes from tornadoes.

“I went down from Wellman to Keota, and every property that had damage had people out helping,” Wellman Assistant Fire Chief Trevor Owens said. “It’s pretty amazing to see a little community like Wellman and Keota come together after a tragedy and work together and get everybody taken care of. For the most part I’ve seen fields being cleaned up, properties being cleaned up, and a lot of equipment being brought in from who knows how far away.”

On the ground, volunteers continued to help out days after the damage. Many pushes were organized by local 4-H members, something Washington County 4-H Coordinator Amy Green said was a grassroots effort, rather than a centrally organized plan from her own office.

Washington County Emergency Management Coordinator Marissa Reisen — who holds the same position as an interim in Keokuk County — said she was impressed by volunteers’ initiative.

“I’ve gotten lots and lots of calls from organizations that are all over the Midwest from organizations that are willing and able to come and help,” she said. “A lot of it has been me telling them, ‘Our community is rallying,’ … We’ve had such a great community response that I’m just kind of staying out of the way.”

Some government resources have been activated to relieve property owners, however.

In a news release Gov. Kim Reynolds on Saturday declared a disaster status for 12 counties around the state, including Washington and Keokuk. The proclamation frees up assistance grant money for families below 200% of the poverty level as well as “disaster case managers” to assist with recovery plans regardless of income levels.

By Monday, local groups had announced their own handful of recovery efforts.

A Keota family’s destroyed house and farm sparked a locally-organized meal train, while the Highland school district plugged a gift card drive for the family members, one of them a longtime teacher. The city of West Chester offered residents free firewood from a tree that fell on a street in town. Wellman area churches brought sandwiches to groups sifting through the debris of former homes.

The Washington County YMCA’s annual gala scheduled for Saturday night was canceled, replaced by a community meal and impromptu freewill fundraiser at the Wellman facility, which is a designated emergency storm shelter.

“Social responsibility and giving back to our community is what the Y is all about,” Washington County Y CEO Amy Schulte said. “So being able to be a part of that, along with the local churches, the emergency personnel that were involved in those kinds of things, just is part of our core values. So we were glad to play a small role in that, to help the community.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com