Tornado-Affected Residents Finding Help in Runaway Bay Shelter

by Carl Manning, guest contributor

Red Cross shelter manager Jen Edwards of Dallas talks with Brittiany Spain
while her three-year-old son Gabriel and husband Jarid wait.
The family came to the shelter after a tornado that went through
Runaway Bay, Texas, damaged their home. 

Three-year-old Gabriel Spain, along with his parents Jarid and Brittiany, showed up at the Red Cross shelter set up in Runaway Bay, Texas in search of a place to stay.

The youngster looked around the reception area clutching his toy truck and quietly explained: “Our house had a tornado. We hid in the closet.”

The family’s home was damaged by the tornado, tearing off large sections of the roof, exposing the interior to the rain and leaving the carpets a squishy mess.

The Spain family were among several who suffered through the tornado. Several condos a short distance away sustained major roof damage, forcing occupants to look elsewhere for a place to stay until repairs are completed.

The day after the tornado, the Red Cross began working on opening the shelter at the CrossWay Church. Red Cross emergency response vehicles drove through the community to provide food, water and cleanup supplies. 

Red Cross volunteer Steve Bales of Brownwood, Texas,
arrived with his Emergency Response Vehicle at Runaway Bay
 after a tornado went through a section of the community.
He talks resident to learn where the damage is in the community.

“We provide the people with what they need in the recovery process,” said Red Cross volunteer Steve Bales of Brownwood, Texas who drove one of the vehicles into the community.

He stopped at the Runaway Bay City Hall to talk to people gathered there to find out what where the tornado had done its damage so he would know where to go.  

At the shelter, Brittiany provided additional details to Red Cross volunteer Jen Edwards of Dallas, the shelter manager who made sure there were enough cots in the coverted sanctuary and food at the kitchen serving window.

Jen explained the shelter was opened to provide a safe place for people to stay if they didn’t have any place to go after the tornado. It’s among some 16 Red Cross shelters opened across Texas in the past two weeks because of severe weather. 

Brittiany explained it was her first tornado and when she first heard it, she wasn’t sure what was happening. But Jarid had grown up is southwest Kansas were tornadoes are about as common as cattle and wheat fields. 

“When the noise started, I knew exactly what it was,” he said, holding his son close to him. 

Brittiany added: “He said go to the closet now. Then the house started shaking and then there was the sound of breaking glass as the roof came off. It really was scary.”

The parents said they’re most thankful for escaping unharmed with their son.

“I have the two most important things in my life. Everything else can be replaced,” the burley oil field worker said. 

The Red Cross continues to provide critical humanitarian relief in Runaway Bay, Wichita Falls and nearly 100 other counties around Texas during this ongoing spring storm relief effort. You can help! Visit RedCross.org/Donate or call 1-800-REDCROSS to give.

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"This is Just a Setback" - Bridgeport Residents Begin to Rebuild

by Carl Manning, guest contributor

Red Cross workers help residents affected by a tornado in Bridgeport, TX.

Wesley Campbell was in bed when he heard the sounds outside his home and he knew the worst was happening. A tornado was heading straight for his home in a rural area near Bridgeport, Texas.

His wife, Mickey, yelled for him to get up and get out of the house, and they headed for the back door. But it was too late.

“We got there and that was as far as we got before it hit,” he recalled. “We got down behind the washer and dryer and waited. I could feel the house moving in all directions and we prayed hard.”

Bridgeport resident Wesley Campbell looks at damage to his
home after a tornado outbreak.

It didn’t take Wesley long to realize his worst fears had come true – the house he had called home for 15 years was in tatters and scattered. Sitting on the tailgate of his pickup, Wesley sipped from a bottle of water and looked at what’s left as friends and family gathered up what they could to put in his storage barn.

“This is our house, so sure, we’ll rebuild,” he said. “This is just a setback.”

As he looked around, Red Cross workers began arriving to offer assistance to Wesley and his neighbors. 

“It’s wonderful and unbelievable that so many came out to help. It makes me feel good. People I don’t even know are here,” he said of the Red Cross workers and others who were there to help.

A few hundred yards away, Scott Brandon talked to a Red Cross worker about losing his trailer home during a three-minute ordeal he said he’ll never forget.

“The trailer started moving and then it quit. Then it started moving again and then it stopped and it rained hard for an hour,” he recalled. 

Looking at the twisted wreckage that once was his home, Scott shook his head and said, “I’ve been walking around in a daze, feeling out of place and wanting to cry. But all my friends are okay and that’s what matters.” 

As he talked, a Red Cross emergency response vehicle arrived, bouncing along the rut-filled dirt road to set up operations to hand out snacks and water plus clean-up items like work gloves and tarps.

“They’re here to help us and if they can help us, that’ll be great,” Scott said.

One Red Cross worker grabbed an armload of work gloves from the vehicle and started passing them out to those working on a house with its metal roof twisted and torn and its windows broken.

Another standing by the Red Cross vehicle was busy handing out bottled water and snacks. One woman in line with her children and two dogs, when offered condolences, smiled and said, “Oh, it can all be replaced.”

The Red Cross continues to provide critical humanitarian relief in Bridgeport, Runaway Bay, Mineral Wells and more than 70 other counties around Texas during this ongoing spring storm relief effort. You can help! Visit RedCross.org/Donate or call 1-800-REDCROSS to give.

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Van Resident Remembers, Rebuilds

by Carl Manning, guest contributor

Van resident David Thacker hugs Red Cross volunteer
Brenda Jones of Longview at his home
that was damaged by a tornado.

It’s really been hard for David Thacker to think about his long-time friend and neighbor who was killed when a tornado torn through rural Van, Texas.

David was among those who found his friend still clutching his dog in a nearby field after the EF-3 tornado destroyed his home and also killed his friend’s wife. 

He and his friend had a regular meeting every Wednesday evening when they got together at the roadside where they left their trash for pickup the next morning. It had become a tradition, a time David looked forward to each week. 

“We discussed politics and livestock. We got along real good,” he said as a smile filled his face.

“It’s hard, it really is. A lot of time I try not to think about. But I like to think he’s in a better place,” he said, looking down at the ground at the spot where they had stood together for a dozen years

But David considers himself lucky because he and his wife were home eating dinner when the storm came. They survived and their home is still standing. He recalled looking out and seeing the tornado coming his way and using all his strength to close the front door against the howling wind. 

After the storm, he was among the first to volunteer at the landfill site where the debris that once were homes and possessions were brought for disposal. 

“It lets me help those who have nothing. At least we still got our home,” he says. “We’re lucky and I felt an obligation to give back, to help those who didn’t come out of this as well as we did.”

His neighbor on the other side of his mobile home had damage but he said the six people inside survived with only a few cuts and scratches. His son and family living nearby also escaped with minor damage. 

David said he’s been busy cleaning up around his property including 1,700 feet of fencing that was ripped up. He walks through his hay field picking up pieces of shingles and various household items like a storage container for silverware and sometimes personal items like photographs blown there from near and far. 

“Got to clean up this field before mowing it because if I hit some of this stuff with my mower, it would be big trouble,” he said. 

Earlier in the day, he had stopped at the Community Center where the Red Cross and other agencies were assisting people with the recovery after the May 10 storm damaged or destroyed more than 100 homes and displaced dozens of people. 

Within an hour after leaving the center, two Red Cross volunteers arrived to survey the damage to his home. He showed them how his home had been picked up and dropped back on the foundation, shifting a few inches to one side in the process. 

Red Cross volunteer Brenda Jones of Longview, Texas
hands snacks to Van resident David Thacker.

One of the volunteers reached into the van and handed him several snack items including a couple boxes of cookies – one for him and the other for his wife.

As he took the items, his eyes filled with tears. A minute later he walked over to the volunteer and hugged her.

“Until you see your friends die and your neighbors hurt, and you have people from all over the country to come out and help, there’s no way to describe how you feel,” he said while hugging the volunteer. “You’re a God-sent blessing.”

To help Red Cross spring storm relief efforts, visit RedCross.org/Donate or call 1-800-REDCROSS.

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Tex Versus the Tornado

by Suzanne Wiley, volunteer contributor

Van resident Tex, who was injured during the Van tornado
is comforted by a Red Cross nurse. Photo Credit: CBS11

I stood outside the American Red Cross shelter with Van resident, Tex. As he was telling me his story, he looked up at the sky, pointed and said, “That’s what worries me.” I looked up to where he was pointing at the darkening, thick clouds looming over the Van water tower. “We don’t need any more of that.”  

What you can’t see from the shelter is the destruction from the 700-yards wide tornado that struck the small town just a few blocks away from where we were standing.

Tex and his wife were both injured by flying debris during the tornado, but despite the physical pain and shock of what had happened, he shared his story.

Around 8:15, Tex’s wife received a storm alert on her phone and very shortly after, Van’s tornado warning sirens started blaring. Tex and his wife left their trailer home for their daughter’s house. He remembers the wind and the hail. Tex looks me straight in the eyes and tells me that as soon as they arrived at their daughter’s house, “Whamo!” The tornado had hit.

Miraculously, after the tornado passed, Tex, his wife and six others were alive. They found themselves somehow landing on top of all the lumber that used to be the house. The tornado took the whole house.

By the time I had met Tex he already become a local celebrity. Anxious to meet him, he told me he had already signed one autograph already. All the local news outlets had interviewed him on camera. As we were talking about what happens next for him and his family, an old friend stopped by to joke with Tex about how he didn’t win the fight. Someone responded, “Oh yeah, you should see that two by four!”

The lightheartedness of the joke made everyone smile. The people of Van need smiles. But in all seriousness, the people of Van know firsthand that weather doesn’t joke around. Fortunately, for Tex and his family, he did win this particular fight.

To download the free tornado alert app from the Red Cross, visit http://www.redcross.org/mobile-apps/tornado-app/setup-alerts.

To donate to aid in relief efforts, visit RedCross.org/Donate.

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Red Cross Salutes North Texas Tornado Relief Supporters

by Amy Yen, Digital Communications Manager, American Red Cross North Texas Region

As we continue relief efforts in Granbury and Cleburne after the deadly tornado outbreak last week, we wanted to take a moment to thank all of our corporate supporters who we work closely with to meet specific needs for our relief effort--from providing lunch to our volunteer team who worked through the night after the tornadoes hit to providing sunscreen for residents who are sifting through the debris trying to salvage belongings.

HEB donated $30,000 worth of gift cards to residents
so they could purchase food & supplies.

TXU provided work gloves & flashlights for
residents as they begin the clean-up effort.

Blue Bell brought ice cream to our disaster operation
headquarters, giving a break to our hard-working
disaster workers!

Thanks so much to all of these supporters:

HEB
TXU
Mary Kay
Dr Pepper Snapple
Nestle
Kroger
VSP
Taco Bueno
7 Eleven
BJ's 
Potbelly's
God's Hand Ups
Blue Bell Ice Cream

Your support is so important to our efforts. We're lucky to have supporters like you.

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Food and Fundraising on Wheels: Thanking DFW Food Trucks

written by Lilly Watson

Food trucks have been popping up across the U.S. for the past few years, and Dallas and Fort Worth have been lucky enough to be a major part of that movement. I love going over to the Dallas Arts District for food truck lunch on Friday for some street tacos, a sweet snack and an extra side of Vitman D as I soak up the sun at my picnic table.

My first day at the Red Cross I toured our facilities and was introduced to our Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs for short). These trucks go out to major home fires or communities affected by disaster distributing beverages, snacks and even hot meals to victims and relief workers. I remember the eyebrows raising on my tour guide as I delightfully exclaimed, "Wow! Who knew the Red Cross had our very own line of food trucks?!"

Our ERVs have been hitting the streets of Arlington, Forney and Lancaster this week. We're providing comfort and emotional support to victims who visit the trucks, as well as vital water and food. Over the past two days the Red Cross has delivered more than 1,300 meals and 3,300 drinks and snacks out of our trucks. Talk about slinging some hash!

A tornado victim in Arlington receives food and a needed laugh from the Red Cross Emergency Relief Vehicle on Thursday.

Since we fancy ourselves a charity extension of the food truck community, we are especially moved and grateful for the following food trucks who have pledged their support to us this weekend. Look for them out on the street and know as you enjoy your food truck food, a tornado victim in our area is getting a good meal off a truck tonight as well!

• Buying a Nammi Food Truck t-shirt makes a $10 donation to the Red Cross. They are also donating their tips to the Red Cross!
• Gandolfo's Ny Deli is donating a percentage of proceeds to the Red Cross through Tuesday.
• The Butcher's Son is also donating a percentage of proceeds through Tuesday.
• Enticed Shaved Ice is donating 100% of proceeds through Saturday.
• Rock Star Bakeshop is donating their tips to the Red Cross this weekend - look for the tip jar marked with the Red Cross!

To find out where any of these great trucks will be this weekend, click each link for their Twitter pages.

If you're wondering if Red Cross workers are making it over to support the trucks supporting us, we have the photo evidence and happy stomachs to prove it!

Dallas-area Red Cross communications and fund development workers visit Rock Star bakeshop on Thursday.

What is your favorite food truck in Dallas? Are you headed out this weekend to visit the trucks supporting our disaster relief efforts?

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Texas Rangers Hit a Home Run with Announcement

TEXAS RANGERS ANNOUNCE INITIATIVES TO ASSIST VICTIMS

OF TUESDAY’S TORNADOES

Arlington, TX--The Texas Rangers and Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation are encouraging all fans to seek out ways to support the communities affected by the devastating tornadoes this week.

Fans can donate to the American Red Cross local chapters for disaster relief by calling 1-800-RED CROSS, texting Redcross to 90999, or visiting Redcross.org/donate.

The Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation will also offer fans these ways to get involved:

-The proceeds from the silent auction at the club's annual Welcome Home Luncheon on Thursday will be donated to the Relief efforts along with any funds collected onsite.

-The proceeds from the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation Prize Wheel at Friday’s season opener will go to help local communities affected by the storms.

-The Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation will also make a financial contribution.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of the individuals who have been affected by the tornadoes on Tuesday,” commented Rangers CEO and President Nolan Ryan. “The entire Texas Rangers organization applauds the efforts of all local officials, law enforcement agencies, relief agencies and weather services for keeping people safe and informed during the events of Tuesday’s storms. We ask our fans to join us in assisting in the relief efforts.”

-       RANGERS -

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Red Cross Responds in 11 States to Spring Storms’ Aftermath

From the Deep South to the Northeast, the American Red Cross is at work in 11 states to help people devastated by the recent deadly tornadoes and floods.

Charley Shimanski, senior vice president of Red Cross Disaster Services, is in Tuscaloosa, Ala., where he witnessed the damage and explained the Red Cross response.

“Our hearts go out to those who’ve suffered from this tragic event and to those who’ve lost loved ones,” said Shimanski. “You can see the absolutely heart-wrenching damage that’s occurred here. The Red Cross has some key top priorities to meet the essential needs of the victims.”

“Our primary goal is to take care of those affected. First, we’re sheltering those whose homes have been destroyed by all this damage,“ Shimanski continued. “We’re also feeding those who have been displaced—and there are countless displaced because of the extensive damage. And we’re providing emotional support—a major concern because scores of lives have been lost.”



Ensuring people have a safe place to stay is a major priority. Red Cross shelters are currently open in Alabama, Georgia, New York, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Mississippi, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina and Virginia.

More than 1,500 people spent the night in a Red Cross shelter Thursday night. In hard-hit Alabama, 12 Red Cross shelters are open across the state. Red Cross disaster workers, relief supplies, blood products and equipment have been sent into Alabama, along with more than 50 emergency response vehicles and 25,000 ready-to-eat meals. Red Cross nurses and mental health workers have also been deployed to help people cope with the aftermath of this disaster.

The Red Cross is working with its partners around the clock to help people in every affected state, and will continue to focus on making sure people have a safe place to stay, food to eat, emotional support, basic health services and relief supplies. The Red Cross will continue to be there in the coming weeks as they help residents get back on their feet.

“The devastation to this area is tragic,” Shimanski commented. “I’m humbled to see that Red Cross staff who have damage to their own homes and lives are here volunteering in shelters, helping their neighbors in this great time of need.”

For those who are affected by a disaster in the U.S., registering on the Red Cross Safe and Well website is a way for those in the disaster area to let loved ones know they are safe. Friends and family outside the disaster area can also visit the Safe and Well site to search for messages from their loved ones by using a pre-disaster phone number or complete address.

There are several ways to register or look for messages from those affected by a disaster:

• From a computer, visit www.redcross.org and click on the “List Yourself or Search Registrants” link under “How to Get Help.”
• From a smart phone, visit www.redcross.org/safeandwell.
• Call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to register.

Disaster victims can also update their Facebook and Twitter status through the Safe and Well website.

The Red Cross is able to respond quickly when emergencies happen with the help of corporations who are members of the organization’s Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP). ADGP members pledge donations on an ongoing basis to allow the Red Cross to pre-position supplies and be ready to take immediate action when disasters occur.

ADGP members include 3M, Altria, Aon, Cisco Foundation, ConAgra Foods, Costco Wholesale Corporation, Darden Restaurants, Inc., Dr Pepper Snapple Group, FedEx Corporation, GE Foundation, The Home Depot Foundation, John Deere Foundation, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Kraft Foods, Lowe's Companies, Inc., Merck, Morgan Stanley, Nationwide Insurance Foundation, Northrop Grumman, Ryder Charitable Foundation, Southwest Airlines, State Farm, State Street Foundation, Target, The TJX Companies, Inc., UnitedHealthcare, UPS and Walmart.

The Red Cross depends on financial donations to help in times of disaster, both here in the United States and around the world. Those who want to help can make a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. To make a donation, visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

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Tornado Relief: Click, Text, Call

Hundreds of tornadoes have struck throughout the country. Thousands of homes have been destroyed, and tens of thousands of families are in need. You can help. Visit redcross.org to donate to the American Red Cross.

Tonight, WFAA Channel 8 and CBS 11/TXA 21 will be hosting telethons to help raise funds for relief efforts across the south. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook for the call-in number.

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