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Info and sharing on Tornado & Storm damage in Illinois 11/17/13

Started by bbtds, November 17, 2013, 10:05:57 PM

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bbtds

November 17, 2013, 10:05:57 PM

bbtds

#1
November 18, 2013, 01:34:09 AM


Washington, IL,  an aerial view.

bbtds

#2
November 18, 2013, 02:01:26 AM



A neighborhood in Washington, IL

bbtds

#3
November 18, 2013, 02:08:51 AM
One of the first pictures from Washington, IL (posted earlier in the Ohio game thread but moved to this thread)



https://twitter.com/ChrisKhoury182/status/402136292051259394/photo/1

bbtds

#5
November 18, 2013, 10:12:14 PM
Ways to help tornado victims

DONATE

The Heroes Memorial Foundation on Monday began collecting donations for current and retired service members of the military, police force, fire-EMS and their families who were affected by the tornadoes.

The Salvation Army also is collecting donations to provide relief supplies and other resources to those in need.
Text your donation by sending STORM to 80888 and replying YES to confirm your donation of $10. To donate via mail, send your check, designated "November Tornadoes," to:
Attn: November Tornadoes
The Salvation Army
10 W. Algonquin Road
Des Plaines, Ill. 60016-6000

The American Red Cross is accepting monetary donations.
Call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

Matthew 25: Ministries has deployed a disaster response team to areas affected by the tornadoes. The organization is accepting monetary donations, as well as non-perishable food, baby supplies and more.
Text CARING to 50555 to make a $10 donation toward disaster relief.

The following fire stations are accepting donations until 10 p.m. Monday:
Plainfield fire station #1 at 14415 S. Coil Plus Dr.
Troy Fire station 1 at 7000 Cottage St. in Shorewood
Oswego Fire station 1, 3511 Woolley Road in Oswego
Channahon Fire station 2, 23351 McClintock Road in Channahon


VOLUNTEER

The Coal City Methodist Church was looking for volunteers to serve food and drinks to the workers helping with the clean-up from tornado.

The church also requested donations of cleaning supplies including bleach, gloves, buckets, sponges, garbage bags, mops, towels and other supplies.

Those interested in assisting the tornado victims can go to the Methodist Church, 6805 E. McArdle Road.

The Red Cross mobilized operations to set up six shelters across central Illinois, including Washington and Pekin:
New Community Church, 14801 Lincoln Ave. in Dolton
Coal City High School, 655 W. Division St. in Coal City
Crossroads United Methodist Church, 1420 N. Main St. in Washington
Evangelical United Methodist Church, 401 Main St. in Washington
First United Methodist Church, 154 E. Washington St. in East Peoria
Avanti's Dome, 3105 Griffin Ave. in Pekin

"Red Cross workers are working around the clock to bring relief to people," said Harley Jones, Chief Operating Officer, American Red Cross of Greater Chicago. "There are more supplies and help from our volunteers on the way to help with their immediate needs."


GET INFORMED

Before donating or volunteering, here are some important things to keep in mind:
Know your charities: Stick with organizations that are reputable and known for disaster relief, and make sure you understand how much of your money will go toward the concern you have in mind. Websites like Charity Navigator are a good start for this kind of research. It ranks organizations based on financial health and accountability.

Watch what you donate: Don't overload these communities with shoes and clothing. (After Hurricane Andrew, disaster workers unloaded clothing on the side of the road, which resulted in piles of rotting cloth.) Don't send them food that will spoil or can't be opened. It's also useful to see what charities are bringing to the affected areas so you can balance out the goods they already have.

Be an organized volunteer: If you don't know anyone in the area, work through a charity or other organization. Too many random outsiders who aren't sure what to do could make matters worse. There is such a thing as too many cooks in the kitchen, even if those cooks have the best intentions.


Source: NBC5Chicago.com

bbtds

#6
November 19, 2013, 12:46:54 PM
I'll be going to the game in Evansville Wednesday night and then heading to Peoria on Thursday. I will be using my EMS buddy, Snake's, pick up truck to ferry items from an EMS station off I-74 near St Francis & Methodist Hospitals on Randolph just northwest of downtown Peoria to a community center in Morton and to a command center in Tremont off I-155. Only Fire, Police, EMS and other emergency workers are allowed into Washington besides the people who live there and then only when emergency workers are with them, at this time. They are getting so many items dropped off the EMS people need help sorting the items and getting them to correct locations. I think they are trying to set up something in the Casino riverboat parking lots off Highway 116 in East Peoria or the Caterpillar Plant in Morton off I-74 on Morton Ave if it gets too much to handle. I'll find out when I get there.

I talked to an investment guy I used to work with named Paul Herzog in Germantown Hills and he was saying things are eerily quiet in the area right now except for traffic on Highway 116 which goes through Germantown Hills because US 24 is shut down. He did say he was going to help at church in the evening with organizing their response supplies.

bbtds

#7
November 19, 2013, 05:47:42 PM
One huge area that the Washington community is uniting around is their Washington Panthers high school football team which is playing in a playoff game at Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin this Saturday 1 p.m. in Springfield. If you feel the urge you can drive down to Springfield & support the team where you will hear the stories of what is happening in this community. Nine of the players lost their homes.

Take I-55 to I-72 west to Veterans Pkwy north. Go to Washington and go east. Cyclone Stadium is on  left after you cross Bruns.

valpopal

#8
November 19, 2013, 09:16:54 PM
Oren talks with Alec:

TORNADO HITS VU FRESHMAN'S HOMETOWN IN WASHINGTON, IL

Paul Oren Times Correspondent
   
     VALPARAISO | Alec Peters saw the pictures, but there was nothing that could prepare him for what he saw when he returned home on Monday morning.

The Valparaiso freshman hails from Washington, Ill., the site of Sunday's deadly EF-4 tornado that claimed at least six lives and damaged as many as 500 homes in the area.

Peters, who lives roughly three miles from the damaged area, spent all day Monday helping friends literally pick up the pieces.

"I got to town and the first thing I did was change into work clothes and get in my dad's pickup truck so we could get to work," Peters said. "I thought I knew what it would be because I looked at pictures, but until you go through it, you really have no idea what to expect.

"It feels like you stepped in a war zone."

Peters was just finishing his post-game shower following Sunday's 76-72 loss to Ohio when assistant coach Roger Powell told him the news.

"My emotions are still running high from the loss and Coach Powell comes up to me with this look and I know something is immediately wrong," Peters said. "We got my mom on the phone and I found out my family is fine, but plenty of my friends were affected.
"I just broke down. I didn't know what else to think or what to do."

Peters spent the entire six-hour bus trip back from Athens on the phone trying to track down the whereabouts of friends and family. While he doesn't know anyone who died in the tornado, each report of a different damaged house was like a punch to the gut.
By the end of the bus trip, Peters told the coaches that he was going home on Monday morning.

"It was very emotional," Powell said. "I just hugged him and prayed with him. We've spent a lot of time talking. It was important for Alec, and for us, that he be able to get home and see his family and friends."

Peters' house remained unscathed and his parents were quick to open their home to some family friends who lost everything.
The hardest part for Peters was seeing the decimated houses of former high school teammates.

"It was a traumatizing experience," Peters said. "My childhood best friend, I can remember playing on a Little Tikes basketball hoop in his basement and now it's just not there."

Peters returned to campus Tuesday morning and accompanied the team on its charter flight to Evansville.
The freshman has no doubts about playing tonight and he'll be doing so with new motivation.

"The community is on my mind and that gives me more reason to go out there and play well," Peters said. "They need something to rally behind and if I can do anything to help with that, I'm going to give it my all.

"I'm just trying to stay strong for all the people that have been affected."
   

bbtds

#9
November 20, 2013, 12:25:59 AM Last Edit: November 20, 2013, 01:00:24 AM by bbtds
Starting tomorrow they are going to start taking these items in Washington. This comes from the the Central Illinois Emergency Information website:https://www.facebook.com/CentralIllinoisEmergencyInformation

Here are a list of items that are needed, if you are interested in making a donation.

UPDATE: Help the community of Washington, Illinois by donating the following items at Sunnyland Plaza in Washington, Illinois beginning Wednesday, Nov 20th until further notice:

Sunnyland Plaza is near the intersection of Washington Rd (Hwy 8) and Summit Dr.
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Washington+Plaza,+Washington,+IL&hl=en&ll=40.693276,-89.482069&spn=0.001277,0.002476&sll=41.475425,-87.053415&sspn=0.080256,0.158443&hnear=Sunnyland+Plaza,+Washington,+Tazewell,+Illinois+61571&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=40.693276,-89.482069&panoid=JP_Ihno-gw37st1MdBnTNQ&cbp=12,204.61,,2,-5.13

toiletries
lightweight plastic shelving
lightweight stackable shelving units
feminine products
toothpaste
toothbrushes
pain reliever
cold medicine
first aid kits
hand sanitizer
sewing kits
baby wipes
diapers
baby formula
baby bottles
baby sippy cups
pacifiers
baby food
baby clothes
baby blankets
pack n' play
baby bedding
coats
boots - all sizes
shoes
scarfs
gloves
socks
underwear
denture products
depends
contact solution
contact cases
reading glasses
plastic cups
plastic plates
plastic utensils
razors
pillows
blankets
extension cords
power strips
phone chargers
water
black markers
duct tape
pet food

Thank you and God Bless Washington!


Washington High School will be open from 2 - 4 p.m. Wednesday, November 20 to provide counseling for students, teachers and staff. The school will open for classes at 9 a.m. Thursday and Friday.

Donations can be PICKED UP at Crossroads United Methodist Church (1420 N. Main in Washington) and Countryside Banquet Facility (659 School Street in Washington) until 6 p.m.
They are not taking donations but handing them out to Washington residents affected by the tornado

If you would like to volunteer please email your name and number to volunteersforwashington@gmail.com and your name will be added to a list of volunteers.

Due to the high volume of calls we will no longer be able to answer the phone, so please email. We will try and respond as quickly as we can. If we are unable to get right back to you, please know there will be lots of opportunities in the weeks to come.

Thank you again for the overwhelming love and support! God bless Washington!

bbtds

#10
November 20, 2013, 12:41:22 AM
Here is Bradley University's page on the disaster response:

http://www.bradley.edu/tornadorelief/

bbtds

#11
November 20, 2013, 01:41:22 AM Last Edit: November 20, 2013, 01:51:41 AM by bbtds
Quote from: bbtds on November 19, 2013, 05:47:42 PM
One huge area that the Washington community is uniting around is their Washington Panthers high school football team which is playing in a playoff game at Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin this Saturday 1 p.m. in Springfield. If you feel the urge you can drive down to Springfield & support the team where you will hear the stories of what is happening in this community. Nine of the players lost their homes.

Take I-55 to I-72 west to Veterans Pkwy north. Go to Washington and go east. Cyclone Stadium is on  left after you cross Bruns.

From Peoria Journal Star:
http://www.pjstar.com/article/20131119/SPORTS/131118980/2000/NEWS

QuoteWashington football team practices at ISU for first official gathering since tornado

The Washington football team left behind the chaos of town and returned to the practice field, just for a few hours.

Washington held practice at Hancock Stadium at Illinois State University on Tuesday. It was the first official team gathering since a tornado roared through Washington on Sunday.

The EF-4 twister destroyed businesses and hundreds of houses. The family homes of players Colton Marshall, Brogan Brownfield, Nick Sievers, Jake Clark, Cameron Schone, Kevin Scott and assistant coach Grant Uftring were among the affected.

Like most in the community, members of the football team spent Sunday and Monday assisting in cleanup and recovery.

"I think we all needed to get out of town for a bit, just to take our minds off what's going on back home," head coach Darrell Crouch said. "And we've got to get the kids ready to play a football game. We're already a day behind what would be our normal preparation,"

Washington (12-0) will visit fellow unbeaten Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin in a Class 5A state semifinal at 1 p.m. Saturday.

The game is scheduled to be broadcast live on Comcast SportsNet Chicago, according to the network's online contributor "Edgy" Tim O'Halloran.

Washington is undefeated through 12 games for the first time in school history and has a state semi berth for the first time since the 1985 team won the 4A state championship.

Without power and water and access to town still restricted as of Tuesday morning, just organizing the practice had obstacles.

"A lot of kids lost their phones in the tornado or have no way to charge them, so communication became a challenge," Crouch said.

"The kids in town, we arranged for them to meet at the PantherPlex. The kids who live outside of town, they still weren't being allowed in so we sent a bus to pick them up."

Buses transported the players and coaches to ISU.

Crouch said most players attended the practice, with the few who missed still focused on family members in need of assistance.

One exception was Randy Meneweather, a sophomore running back-linebacker who resided in an apartment building that sustained significant damage.

"I had a few texts with him and the last I knew he was staying with relatives up near Chicago," Crouch said. "Hopefully something can be worked out where he can get back down here."

Normal U-High football supporters supplied Washington players with a meal after practice. Crouch said Washington plans to practice at ISU again on Wednesday, and at Eureka College on Thursday.

The tentative plan is to hold the night-before-game walkthrough Friday at home at Babcook Field.

bbtds

#12
November 20, 2013, 02:49:39 AM

LaPorteAveApostle

#13
November 20, 2013, 09:13:56 AM
My then-girlfriend, now-wife was just a couple weeks from graduating Alabama law when the tornado mowed through Tuscaloosa just 2 1/2 years ago.  By the grace of God she looked out her window at the right time and she and her roommates barely made it to the basement in time.  This looks the same.  The people in that last photo are probably also saying "who knew there was a water tower right over there?"

the good news is that I was just back last month, and things are largely rebuilt (and this time in brick). i hope the insurance doesn't give Washington the runaround at such a crucial time.

what doesn't change, though, are the trees.  sticks, and absence.  for years they will continue to testify. 

"It is so easy to be proud, harsh, moody and selfish, but we have been created for greater things; why stoop down to things that will spoil the beauty of our hearts?" Bl. Mother Teresa

bbtds

#14
November 23, 2013, 09:21:24 PM
Their football team survived a tornado but the Cyclones were too much for the Washington, IL high school Panthers as Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin knocked off Wash High 44-14 in the 5A playoff football game. Next week SH-G travels to Northern Illinois University in DeKalb to take on Lombard Martini for the state championship.
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