OT: PRAYERS AND PIXIE DUST TO DISers IN AL, GA AND MS!!!

[cjlvsccm]

Yes, all of AL still welcomes your prayers and assistance... as do so many other states hit with those storms, I'm sure. MASSIVE devastation all over the place. Everyone has family or friends with partial or total property loss, or injury or loss of loved ones.

I seriously hope no one ever scoffs at the Weather Channel issuing a Tor-Con rating of 9 or 10, because they nailed this forecast several days ahead of time!! There was a summary write-up in our local paper yesterday... http://blog.al.com/breaking/2011/05/132_miles_of_devastation_ef-5.html .

FEMA is on site in all the devastated communities, where much of the destruction rates with Hurricane Katrina. If you are so inclined and able, please support your choice of Salvation Army/ United Way/ American Red Cross/ etc, with donations designated to the Tornado Relief. They are helping loads of people, and are stretched thin with so much need over the gigantic paths of these storms. Many houses of worship have mission funds to assist in emergencies as well.

It's great that neighbors are helping neighbors as much as possible, and it's great to know others care as well. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!

 

[crusoe2]

We live in Alabama too but down in the southern part of the state. We were blessedly spared any bad storms that day. I wanted to post and let everyone know about a grassroots group that has stepped up and helped many, many people who were hit by these awful storms. An Auburn Univ fan started a Facebook page called Toomers for Tuscaloosa. He hoped to repay the kindness of so many Alabama fans who donated to help save the trees at Toomers Corner in Auburn when they were poisoned a few months ago. He urged other Auburn fans to step up and donate, volunteer, or do whatever they could to help the tornado victims. The response has been overwhelming to say the least. You should check out their FB page or the website they've created - www.toomersfortuscaloosa.com - and see what all they have in the works. If anyone is looking for other avenues to help, there are numerous ways to do so including making donations on their website and attending a benefit concert they are organizing.

 

[Jennifer in MI]

All of you are in my constant prayers. My sister and her family live in Flintsone, GA and in their neighborhood, 20 houses were destroyed. My sis and family suffered very little damage. But, I think they are forever changed. She said seeing the damage up close is so different from seeing the pictures.

Anyway, you are all in my prayers.

 

[stmize]

All of you are in my constant prayers. My sister and her family live in Flintsone, GA and in their neighborhood, 20 houses were destroyed. My sis and family suffered very little damage. But, I think they are forever changed. She said seeing the damage up close is so different from seeing the pictures.

Anyway, you are all in my prayers.

That's where I live. My children attend Chatt Valley Elem and Chatt Valley Middle. Glad she is okay. Was she in Eagle Landing, Eagle Clift or Valley View? I know when the tornado came over the mtn it dropped down in Eagle Clift and Valley View area and moved over to Eagle Landing where I live. It does change you. My kids do not like dark clouds at all now. If they even think it's gonna storm/rain they start to freak out.

 

[Jennifer in MI]

That's where I live. My children attend Chatt Valley Elem and Chatt Valley Middle. Glad she is okay. Was she in Eagle Landing, Eagle Clift or Valley View? I know when the tornado came over the mtn it dropped down in Eagle Clift and Valley View area and moved over to Eagle Landing where I live. It does change you. My kids do not like dark clouds at all now. If they even think it's gonna storm/rain they start to freak out.

Wow! Small world. I don't know which one. It's either Eagle Landing or Eagle Cliff. I know it has Eagle in it. (You may have seen her - she runs a lot!) Her kids are responding in the same way - well, at least her oldest is. He's 4. He asks constantly if they're going to have another tornado.

How was your house? Did you realize the extent of the damage that night? My sis and her family didn't. I read it on line early the next morning and called them. They had NO idea it was so bad. I still remember the silence on the other end of the phone when I told her dh that I read that there were 20 houses destroyed in that neighborhood. It was then that they realized how lucky they were. They made up sack dinners for people in the neighborhood and handed them out that night.

 

[Jennifer in MI]

Wow! Small world. I don't know which one. It's either Eagle Landing or Eagle Cliff. I know it has Eagle in it. (You may have seen her - she runs a lot!) Her kids are responding in the same way - well, at least her oldest is. He's 4. He asks constantly if they're going to have another tornado.

How was your house? Did you realize the extent of the damage that night? My sis and her family didn't. I read it on line early the next morning and called them. They had NO idea it was so bad. I still remember the silence on the other end of the phone when I told her dh that I read that there were 20 houses destroyed in that neighborhood. It was then that they realized how lucky they were. They made up sack dinners for people in the neighborhood and handed them out that night.

Oh - and I had just talked with my sister about an hour before the tornado hit. She had reassured me that they were very well-protected by the mountain. (I'm the big sister and I will always worry about my baby sister.)

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

We were just south of some of the smaller tornadoes that came later inthe evening, but I was on pins and needles, because a few were only a few miles up the road and I was worried they would turn and head our way. I was home by myself and some scared pets, I think I was more scared, but they were scared. Dh was at work.

A co-worker of DH has had some large trucks (tractor trailors) and they have been gathering clothes and food on Fridays and Saturdays and then taking these items up to Tuscaloosa on Sundays. Dh said one man went to Walmart and spent about $500 on groceries and brought it by for his co-worker to take up.

One local tv station has has 2 telethons to raise money and one of the credit unions was filling tractor trailors with bottled water to send up wherever it was needed.


Suzanne

 

[cheerforchelsea]

The folks in Alabama welcome your support and most of all your prayers. I live in a suburb south of Birmingham that was not damaged by the many tornadoes that ripped apart the state. My 86 year old mother lives 1.5 miles from the devastation in the Concord/Pleasant Grove area - luckily her home was not damaged. I was in the Concord area yesterday and areas that I have visited all of my life were unrecognizable!!! I could not locate the road to my aunt's home! My family was so blessed - only lost an unoccupied vehicle when a portion of a building collapsed on it. It will be many many years before these areas will recover.

 

[stmize]

Oh - and I had just talked with my sister about an hour before the tornado hit. She had reassured me that they were very well-protected by the mountain. (I'm the big sister and I will always worry about my baby sister.)

I probably have seen her running. I see one lady all the time all over around the neighboorhood. Glad she's ok. My kids are still terrified even if it's just a small thunderstorm. And when I think back to how lucky we were. It brings tears to my eyes. If the tornado had not turned and went down the railroad tracks it was headed straight towards my house.

I think everyone thought that about the mtns. We found out the hard way that is not true.


The weekend after the tornados, we had numerous churches, etc bringing water, sack lunches, and cooked meals, etc around for several days. Our temp power didn't come on til the following Tues. The power co was literally working at the end of our street for 2-3 days. They continue to be fixing the power poles. You can tell they did what they had to do to get us back online.