Church Groups and Volunteers Aid Clean-up Effort After Tornado Devastation

ELKHORN--Church organizations and volunteers are coming together in the thousands to support the families in Elkhorn after a tornado tore through residential areas on April 26.   

Through packed streets and piles of rubble—trucks hauling trailers of trees, people walking with chainsaws, hammering tarps on open roofs, packing valuables into clear plastic tubs, cleaning up debris, handing out food and water—the community in the surrounding area pulled together to help everyone.   

Residents in eastern Nebraska experienced more than 42 tornado warnings on the afternoon of April 26. One of the more notable damage tracks stretched from just northeast of Lincoln through the Waterloo and Elkhorn areas. In total, NWS Omaha issued 42 tornado warnings. 

Volunteers started showing up as early as 6 a.m. Saturday morning to help dig and cut through fallen trees and home debris.   

Wayne Moore, a member of Relevant Community Church in Elkhorn, spent 10 hours carrying his chainsaw from house to house throughout the neighborhood, helping where they needed him.   

"The further I went in, the more dismantled it was. You just want to cry," Moore said.   

Relevant Community Church is partnering with Omaha Rapid Response, a non-profit organization founded by members of Omaha's churches in response to the increasing number of natural disasters around the world. For the next week, teams will travel to Elkhorn every day from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

Relevant Community Church is providing donations and supplies at The Relevant Center, 21220 Elkhorn Drive and listed shelter areas such as Common Ground Community Center, 1701 Veterans Drive, and The Westline at Flanagan Lake, which is also offering one month free of temporary housing with no fees and a $250 Walmart gift card per household.  

"What if it happened to me? I hope I get somebody helping me," Moore said.   

Gary Widtfeldt, an Omaha's Rapid Relief Team member, stood on a street corner Saturday afternoon handing out water, Gatorade and granola bars to families and volunteers.   

Widtfeldt said there has been an overwhelming amount of help, with thousands of people walking around. 

Omaha's RRT is an Omaha non-profit organization that was founded by church members in the early 2000s. The organization responds to emergencies like Friday's tornados.   

"Tomorrow, we are doing a whole meal. It's all part of our church community base," Widtfeldt said.   

On Saturday, St. John's Church in Bennington took phone calls for help and brought supplies to where families needed them throughout Elkhorn.   

Fred Barnhardt, a church member, drove truckloads of supplies filled with donations from local community members—clothes, food and water.   

"I can't even tell you where the people are coming from. Every time we leave the church and come back, there is so much more stuff," Barnhardt said. "It's just unbelievable."   

Barnhardt said St. John’s started taking personal calls around 10 a.m. and loading the trucks afterward, starting in farm areas with less community around them and moving to the most impacted neighborhoods.    

"They still need help today. That's going to be the biggest thing a year from now. They are still going to need help. That's the one thing you really need to think about," Barnhardt said.   

Local businesses in the Omaha area are also giving away items to help.   

From Stonebridge Christian Church in Omaha, Janice Miller said that Fairway gave them free bread to help make sandwiches to hand out.    

"I love that people are generous. I love when our community comes together," Miller said.  

Organizations from across the U.S. have also arrived in Nebraska to help.   

Bob Burke, from Operation Blessing, a disaster relief organization headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia, arrived in Elkhorn after being in Slidell, Louisiana, for two weeks because of a tornado.   

“One of the things I've noticed since we've been here is that the volunteer response is amazing, so a tremendous amount of work has already been done,” Burke said. 

To donate or volunteer, contact the American Red Cross in Nebraska, Nebraska Apparel Relief, The Salvation Army or United Way Midlands.