Volunteers, inmates work on recovery

By RACHEL GOMEZ rgomez@lakecityreporter.com

People from all over have helped tornado victims in Lake City.

John Griffis had his crew of state prison inmates helping the community by getting large pieces of debris and setting it by the road for the county to pick up.

"We're staying until it's done, and I'm really glad to be able to help," Griffis said Wednesday. "We brought about 63 inmates, 14 officers and 15 or 20 chainsaws out here."

Griffis said there was a crew helping with the cleanup in Ollie Gibson's yard off Oglethorpe Avenue for most of the day.

"We didn't even know about him until Tuesday afternoon," Griffis said. "We were looking through the woods for his porch but never found it."

In the meantime, the Red Cross has paid for the Gibsons to stay in a motel. Red Cross Emergency Services Director for North Central Florida Maryann Grigsby said there were a lot of people who declined Red Cross assistance telling officials they had financial resources and family members to stay with. She said so far there are four financial cases (four families, 11 people) who the Red Cross is providing with all or one of the following: Hotel accommodations until Jan. 1, food and clothing.

"I have a gentleman who is recanvassing the area today to see if there are people we've missed," she said. "We have had several groups come forward offering their assistance to aid victims in the area."

Groups that have contacted the Red Cross so far are Catholic Charities, Haven Hospice and the Fort White Thrift Store. Grigsby said the Red Cross lets clients know that these groups are available to them.

Suzanne Edwards of Catholic Charities said her group is attempting to help people with everything from immediate needs like clothing to long term needs like birth certificates and other paperwork. She said they are going as far as to help with lodging and dealing with insurance companies.

"We're personally out here meeting everyone and assessing the damages," she said. "You have to ask, 'What do you need today?' and that's what we do."

The Christian Service Center is offering their assistance to victims by sending food, boxes and bags for them to put things in, and crews of volunteers to help with clean-up. A female volunteer at the center said if anyone comes in and asks for help, the group will definitely help them.

"We'll send out stuff with anyone who's going by, that's what we're here for," she said. "We'll be available for whatever assistance we can provide. We've contacted almost all of our volunteers to help, and we're getting the word around to the churches. Lots of prayers are coming from here."

Some people have even gone on their own to give donations to people who seem like they need help.

"I told my daughters to go through all their stuff since they just got a bunch of toys and clothes for Christmas, and I brought it here," said Bethany Pierce of Three Rivers Estates.

Pierce had stopped at a mobile home off of Oglethorpe Avenue to donate some of the clothes she had to a tenant who was renting it.

Then there are some that just wonder what to do next. Vicki Ward, whose home is off Lake City Avenue, said she isn't sure what to expect next.

"I walk around in a daze, 'What about this and what about that,' and I just don't know," Ward said.

Ward and her family attained boxes from Lowe's and other businesses to store things that weren't damaged and stack in a Pod sitting in the yard.

"It came quick," said Betty Brown, Ward's eldest daughter. "The guy who brought it from Jacksonville even cut branches to get it back here."

Ward said she is grateful for all the help she has been receiving from her family and other people.

"A lady came and brought some clothes for me," Ward said. "Also a man from Branford named David came and gave me $100 and said to go get something to eat."

She was able to find a place for Evelyn Goodbread, a 99-year-old woman of whom she is the designated caretaker, temporarily at Still Waters nursing home in Lake City.

"I thank the Lord every day that I got her out of that bed when I did," she said. "She likes to sleep in."

Anyone wishing to make donations, can take items to the Christian Services Center, Catholic Charities, Haven Hospice or the Fort White Thrift Store. The Red Cross can only accept financial donations because of the requirement that they provide uniform donations to all in need.

"I think of all the people in New Orleans and things like that and I never used to be able to imagine," Ward said. "But now I know."