GREENSBURG, Kan.–As I said earlier, our first day here has been interesting.
Personally, I didn’t spend much time in the town because of my duties with the Web site, which is now up and running at http://www.greensburgrebirth.com. I am still working on it now, but we are making progress and the site looks great.
In any event, while I was in Greensburg, I shot a few photos. A couple of them showed the destruction of the tornado, but most of what can be seen is the rebirth of the community, which is very powerful to witness.
One of the main achievements Greensburg is touting is the fact they are going “green” in the rebuilding. The town is a world-wide innovator in environmentally friendly living, and this is evident even in the local Kwik Shop as “green” shopping bags are readily available.
I’m impressed. I didn’t really know what to expect when I arrived here, but I am glad I am working on this project. I believe the work we will be doing will be good for the growing community, and I plan on personally doing my part by volunteering in the rebuilding efforts, even if only for a day.
As I prepare to go shoot photos and update the Web site come sunrise, I keep thinking about the Kwik Shop workers and the absolute fear on their faces when the tornado sirens sounded. It is hard to imagine the horror they went through last year.
Would I be strong enough to deal with it? I don’t know for certain, and that is why this project is quickly becoming very important to me. I want to fully understand what they went through. I realize I may not be able to achieve such enlightenment because I didn’t go through it, but I want to try and hopefully at least learn a thing or two along the way.
I know as I drift off to sleep tonight one story we all were told today will stick in my mind.
We were told children were greatly affected by the tornado. Children who were taken by their families to bathrooms in the center of their homes for safety during the tornado strike will not use bathrooms now.
Instead, they soil themselves because they have such a negative association with bathrooms because of the tornado.
I can’t even imagine . . .
