Tornado Aftermath Brings Out Best & Worst

On Monday, December 28, 2015 a friend and I drove to several collection points that were accepting donations of goods intended to supply tornado victims with much needed clothing, blankets, personal care items, etc.. It was two days following the tornado that had hit sections of Garland and Rowlett, as well as an area in Ellis County. Collection and distribution locations for needed supplies had been broadcasted on TV and posted on the Internet.

Lakeview Centennial High School in Garland was set up as a collections point and we checked to see what they needed. Vehicles were driving up and dropping loads of things off, so we went inside to inquire as to just exactly what was needed at that time. We were told that baby diapers and baby food were very much needed. A nearby Kroger store responded immediately with a car filled with those items. We were very pleased to have played a part and to have witnessed the goodwill gesture of that Kroger store.

We had learned that the Gale Fields Recreation Center in Garland had been organized as a shelter and drop-off location for donated items. We drove over to the Dairy Road location and asked how we might volunteer and also inquired as to what was most needed in the area of donations. We were told that the Red Cross was in charge, and a representative was called to advise us. Here’s what we were told:

Go online to redcross.org and fill out the application.There will be a background check and if you pass you will be asked to attend an orientation class. The class will probably be a little shorter than usual due to the situation.

As for donations, we were told that cash and gift cards were preferred and that no second hand items would be accepted.

My friend Marlee Nickerson and I left the Gale Fields Recreation Center feeling very disillusioned as far as the bureaucratic Red Cross was concerned.

Our next stop was the VFW Post 5076, located at Castle and Meridian, also in Garland. There we found what we were looking for! The Veterans of Foreign Wars were welcoming and thanking everyone who drove up with clothings, blankets and other supplies for those whose homes were damaged by the tornado. They needed volunteers to organize and sort donations and we jumped right in. The Post was literally covered from one end to the other with donations of all kinds. Bags of goods were sorted and sent by truck to other locations that needed them. Tornado victims were invited to sort through the piles and take what they needed. Over the next couple of days their inventory was sorted and distributed to locations in Garland, Rowlett and Farmersville. Post Commander Tom Claussen had been particularly moved by the donation of dozens of colorful, brand new handmade quilts sewn by the Garland Quilters’ Guild. Do you know how much work goes into making these, he asked.

By then we had all been overwhelmed by the generosity and downright kindness being displayed by members of our community.

Nearly a week after the tornado, barricades were finally removed from the most affected areas in both Garland and Rowlett. The barricades had been guarded by police officers, not allowing anyone to enter or leave without showing proof of having an address located within the area. Streets had to be cleared and made passable and those lowlifes who exploit disaster scenes had to be kept out. Those typical after disaster conditions make it very difficult to distribute much needed basic necessities to those who most need them.

Nancy Ghirla

email: [email protected]