Et cetera : Cedar 4 helps people from Iowa before being sent to tornado recovery in Indiana

By: Jerome Frey

AmeriCorps NCCC team Cedar 4 headed to Maquoketa, Iowa on March 12, 2012. They arrived at the Jackson County Conservation board ready to work on an archery trail. The team headed out on the half-mile hike clearing the new trail. Some members cut down trees and other members tossed the logs to the side of the trail.

Cedar 4 dug two-by-two-foot holes in which to place the archery targets. The team set up a total of 28 targets. All this was done in the time span of three days. The last day was spent clearing another trail and prairie at Buzzard Ridge Wildlife Area.

During the second week their project, Cedar 4 worked for the Clinton County Conservation at Eden Valley Park. The team split into two groups. One group tackled the shower house, where the roof was replaced with new shingles and new siding. The other group went to a swinging bridge to help replace rusted wires. In four days, the team completed both tasks successfully and entirely.

In early March, Indiana suffered an F4 tornado and as a result NCCC was contacted about assisting with recovery efforts. Cedar 4 was pulled from their current project and deployed to Clarksville, Indiana on March 22.

Since March 22 Cedar 4 has been working with Metro United Way and the Henryville Community Church, where they are helping recruit new volunteers and directing them where they can serve and help. NCCC members are also working with homeowners who survived the tornadoes and hailstorms.

Some Cedar 4 members are working in a warehouse where the donations are being sent. The team helps organize all the donations that are being sent to survivors who need help getting back on their feet. In Henryville, the area that was hit the hardest; the team is working with both survivors and volunteers. NCCC members with the assistance of volunteers are helping assess what the survivors’ needs are.