Ohio Co. community members host meeting to promote new long-term tornado recovery group

OHIO CO., Ky. (WFIE) - In Ohio County, community members are creating a “Long Term Recovery Group” to continue the rebuilding process.

Following the devastating tornado just months ago, countless volunteers have worked to rebuild the affected areas.

They say many are still in need of help.

While volunteers have made a major impact, there’s still work to be done after over 60 homes were impacted.

Monday night, community members hosted a community-wide meeting in Hartford, Kentucky to spread the word.

“My mom and dad, they were flipped upside down in a mobile home, he was already bed-ridden, but from all the trauma, he passed away in February,” tornado survivor, Dana Render said. “A meeting like this, it just means you feel like there’s more togetherness, that people support you, you’re just not left behind.”

To help in the rebuilding process, organizers of the long term recovery team say two ways to help are through donations or offering labor services.

“Everybody thinks when a disaster happens, FEMA is going to come in and save the day. Well facts of life is that ain’t going to happen,” Ohio County emergency management director, Charlie Shields said. “That’s what this is about tonight, it’s how we can help their neighbor to rebuild, to get them back in their homes or get them back into their land where they can live tomorrow.”

The recovery team welcomes all help, including skilled construction individuals.

“The twelve homes that we’re working at right now, if we were to try to completely rebuild, it would be hundreds and thousands of dollars, and that’s just material cost. Our long-term recovery group is relatively small, we need to enlarge that group so this small group doesn’t wear out,” executive director the Long Term Recovery Group, Matthew Sickling said.

To donate, checks can be written out to “Cedar Grove Baptist Church.”

The post office box is 812 Hartford, Kentucky.