Watching the news coverage, reading the stories, and especially looking at the still photos from the tornadoes over the last few days is more than a little difficult.
I found myself in tears over this morning's paper, barely able to read.
I've never been in a tornado. I've never lost life nor limb to a tornado, but I'm still deeply moved by the people and places who are in the path of these storms ...
About a year ago, I headed to Greensburg with EMS responders from Hays to help in the aftermath (the Greensburg link is photos from the Wichita Eagle; I didn't take those images). Words will never to justice to the experience, nor will the images I captured. To write the story, a few of my coworkers had to get me liquored up. The story won several big awards in my news organization, but truthfully, I wish I never had to write that kind of story.
The most unreal aspect of a tornado's aftermath (at least in my opinion) is the trees. Their bare limbs seem to reach and grasp at the sky, begging for mercy. It totally unnerves me to see them, and in the coverage from this week's storms, they're all over. From Greensburg in 2007:
Lastly, a self-portrait of me and the Big Well. Kristine, Robin, Chris and I stayed in a bed and breakfast right across the street in 2006 when we went to Story Corps (I'll post about that a week from today, so check back!)
It's also crazy to think Erik and I stopped in Manhattan for a few hours on Wednesday ... how crazy life is.
Oh, and if you'd like to offer assistance, here is how you may do so (according to the
Salina Journal):
• Donations may be sent to the North Central Kansas Chapter of the American Red Cross, 145 S. Broadway, P.O. Box 1633, Salina 67401. If you want the donation to be used for local storm victims, write that on the "memo" line of your check. Otherwise, donations will be used nationwide. To donate by credit card, call the local office, (785) 827-3644. Astra Banks in the cities of Chapman, Abilene, Scandia and Belleville also are accepting donations to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief fund.
• To donate to the Salvation Army's emergency disaster efforts, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769), or donate online at www.armykettle.com. Checks may be mailed to The Salvation Army, 3637 Broadway, Kansas City, MO 64111. Donations may be earmarked for a specific use.
• People who are not Red Cross volunteers may offer their assistance by calling The Volunteer Center, (785) 823-3128.
