MARY BRASWELL: Second round of January storms take more than property

Just as the story I was assigned began to take shape, much of the information to be included became outdated. The article was to include interviews with several non-profits in Albany and how the storm on the night of Jan. 2 had affected their organizations. Having more stumbled rather than jumped willingly into writing, it takes me a while longer to organize the collected information and to actually produce a news article than anyone else on staff. But, the interviews were done, photos collected and the framework for the story set, at least in my mind.

And then along came Jan. 22.

Tornadoes, no doubt this time, spun through Southwest Georgia with a vengeance. Entire mobile home communities lay in waste. People are missing, including a 2-year-old child. Homes from Adel to Acree are scattered like overturned trash cans for miles and miles. Irreplaceable mementos, photos, family heirlooms and more are literally gone with the wind. Many of the lost items were valuable only to the owners, which makes the losses even greater.

This time around, lives were taken. Some were the elderly, parents and grandparents, gone in an instant while sleeping peacefully in their own beds in their own homes, homes bought and paid for with years of hard work and saving. Others were younger and will never have the opportunity to pay off a mortgage, send their children to college or watch them marry the loves of their lives.

As for the nonprofits, many are undoubtedly in worse shape than when I interviewed various representatives just a few days ago. The needs of these organizations are the same, however, just greater.

In the interviews, among the most frequently mentioned ways to help were (and certainly still are) by donating non-perishable food, personal hygiene items, diapers, baby formula, paper products, blankets and prayer. Monetary donations are always needed, but that was not the No. 1 request from any of the organizations I talked with.

It seemed, as I watched load after load of tree debris being piled into a mountain-sized hill on Gillionville Road on Friday, that recovery was well on its way. Roofs were adorned with blue tarps all over town and some homes were still without power, but recovery from the Jan. 2 storm was progressing. Many lives had even returned to what passes for normal. Schools had reopened and children — although an alarming number were not yet in attendance — were back in class and assured of at least breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday.

Good Samaritan shelters, as well as those staffed by the American Red Cross, having just closed their doors 7-10 days ago, are open once again. Second Harvest Food Bank, the Salvation Army, Samaritan’s Purse and an immeasurable number of churches, civic organizations and individuals are hard at work … some still, others again.

The weather that ripped apart and scattered about our communities this time will require much more than tree surgery, insurance claims and new roofs. Power outage means nothing when a family’s entire home is leveled.

And this time, worst of all, there are funerals to plan.

Email Mary Braswell at [email protected]. Follow @ABH_MBraswell on Twitter.