GREENSBURG, Kan.–Monday I sat in front of my computer all day. I left only long enough to take some photos for someone else’s story.
Such a lackluster day settles OK with me because of the great two days that were Thursday and Friday of last week.
I am going to share those two days with photos and cutlines, since I now have access to Flickr again. Enjoy!
Wandering around Greensburg Thursday shows rebuilding, never-give-up spirit
Signs around town show positive attitudes in the face of destruction.
I found this belt buckle on the edge of a foundation for a destroyed home. I thought it might be worth something to someone, but I was told by the volunteer coordinator that it wasn’t. I kept it. I think the buckle symbolizes how material objects were lost and destroyed, yet the community members aren’t letting it get them down since they still have their lives and the drive to reclaim what was once theirs.
Construction rebuilding homes and garages is in fully swing as Jerry Yoder, with ESH of Hutchinson, Kan., works on a garage.
Religious groups are a large portion of the volunteer pool. Members of one group put up shingles on a rebuilt home.
Even though she is rebuilding, sadness can still be seen in this homeowner’s eyes as she talks about what she has been through. She says she is not giving up, though.
The children of the community aren’t letting the tragedy hamper their fun as this boy takes part in a t-ball game.
Of course, the spirits of the community can always be lifted by a concert, such as the one Shawn Freeman (red guitar and short hair) and Craig Stramel (brown guitar and longer hair) put on for anyone wanting to listen to them play in volunteer village.
Friday inspires, saddens
On Friday, most members of our group went home for the weekend, but me and fellow project members Matt Heilman and Patrick Vera stayed until the evening.
Staying later than the others afforded us the chance to see and talk to quite a few people, including the Mayor Bob Dixon. Dixon said Greensburg was fortunate to have the opportunity to start from scratch and become a very progress and environmentally friendly community. “Disasters are a dime a dozen,” he said.
Construction was still being completed. Here Tim Johnson, of Hastings, Neb., cuts shingles to be placed on the side of the house he is working on.
Reminders of what happen still linger, which can create interesting, artistic photos.
Shawn Freeman, Thursday night’s guitar maven, poses for a picture while working on his father’s home.
The saddest and most intense part of the day, though, came on the ride home when the three of us stopped to see the aftermath of a Colorado couple being in their car when a tornado came sweeping across the countryside east of Pratt, Kan.
The couple, which had only been married for a little over a year, died, and seeing what their last moments kind of looked like made my heartbeat quicken. It was a very moving moment. Here are the pictures:
For today, I have a few photos I need to take for people, and I will be uploading more stories to our Web site. Make sure you check it out because content is coming fast!
