As the damage assessment continues following Tuesday’s significant tornado in Eureka — the second one to hit the Greenwood County seat in three years — information is now crystallizing on how residents can help the cleanup and recovery effort.
Volunteers are now asked to gather at the Matt Samuels Community Building, 100 N. Jefferson, at noon Wednesday. In the hours immediately following the twister, potential volunteers were told to hold off because of the number of downed power lines and the overall lack of safety in the city limits.
Also, the Kansas Division of Emergency Management says the best way to help recovery efforts is monetary donations to established volunteer organizations, like the Red Cross, Salvation Army or Harvesters. The United Way is deferring all donations to the Growing Greenwood Disaster Relief Fund, an affiliate of the Emporia Community Foundation.
*Red Cross: www.redcross.org/donate
*Salvation Army: https://secure20.salvationarmy.org/donation.jsp
*Emporia Community Foundation: https://www.emporiacf.org/growing-greenwood-fund or by mail at 527 Commerical Street, Suite B Emporia, KS 66801
*Harvesters: https://my.harvesters.org
Meanwhile, residents affected by the twister have several things to consider:
*The United Way of the Plains says people can call 2-1-1 if they have specific needs. That information will be shared with the American Red Cross.
*The Red Cross, meanwhile, is asking anybody affected by the tornado to register at its Safe and Well website, safeandwell.communityos.org, or call 800-RED-CROSS.
*Greenwood County Emergency Management says people injured by debris can go to the Greenwood County Health Department at 200 West First for a tetanus shot between 8 am and 5 pm Wednesday.
*Shelters remain active at 521 N. Main, 12th and Main and River and Jefferson.
Greenwood County Emergency Management has also provided a graphic for people who need to clean up tornado debris at their homes or businesses. That is pictured below.
Additional information is coming as the recovery effort continues. We’ll keep you updated on KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media.
