Haleigh Cleveland and Kayleigh Crawder, both of Goshen, sort through a pile of rubble during Sunday’s citywide clean-up day. Haleigh and Kayleigh volunteered with parents and friends in Nappanee. Pilot Photo/Mandy McFarland

By Mandy McFarland Staff Writer
NAPPANEE — Like the mythological phoenix rising from its ashes, the town of Nappanee has begun to rebuild after a tornado devastated much of the town’s east end last Thursday evening.
This is thanks in part to the efforts of more than 3,000 individuals from throughout Michiana who responded to the call to help clean up Sunday morning.
Crushed but not defeated, the community has shown resilience, its members determined to return to life as normal as quickly as possible. When Mayor Larry Thomp-son sent out the call Friday evening, Oct. 19 for a community-wide volunteer day, word quickly spread. By Sunday, there were twice as many people as were needed.
By 9 a.m. Sunday, the parking lot of NorthWood High School was nearly filled. By the time the last busload of volunteers departed, not a single space was left. Overflow cars parked in the grass and in nearby church parking lots. Some made spaces where there were none.
According to Nappanee Police chaplain and First Presbyterian Church pastor Terry Tyler, an estimated 2,400 volunteers had to be turned away due to the overwhelming numbers. This met with a surprising reaction.
“When we turned them away and told them we had too many people, they applauded,” he said. “Not one of them was angry.”
Wa-Nee school bus drivers shipped the nearly 2,400 volunteers to 22 sites throughout the destruction area. Tasks ranged from picking up debris from fields and along the road to helping finish off already-demolished homes.
Many area churches cancelled services for the day, choosing instead to lend their congregations to the cleanup cause. While this may seem like a contradiction to the traditional day of rest, the congregations did not seem to feel that way. In fact, many felt it was the only logical response.
Eric and Debbie Hiler of Elkhart joined their church, Grace Community in Goshen.
“When you see a bunch of people hurting, you just want to help,” Eric said.
The Blackstone subdivision was one of the hardest-hit neighborhoods in Nappanee. Many volunteers lent their muscle to helping salvage as many belongings as possible from the debris. Piles of clothing, toys, books, nick-knacks and CDs were the only evidence of the lives once lived in the houses.
Officials on hand were impressed with the volunteers’ willingness to give up their Sunday to lend a hand.
“It’s nice that the community’s coming together,” Jeff Wodtkey of the Middlebury Police Department said. The Middlebury police are one of many area police departments to assist Nappanee.
Kent Freed of the Nappanee Fire Department helped supervise volunteers outside of the Blackstone subdivision.
“I think it’s amazing that all these people were willing to come out here and help today,” he said. “There’s a lot of good-hearted people over here.”
Among the debris blown from the subdivision into a field nearly 100 yards away were toy tea cups and saucers, fiberglass insulation and a page from a hymnal with a hymn on one side titled “Stricken, Smitten and Afflicted.”
Further assistance
Police, fire and EMS departments from throughout the area sent personnel to Nappanee. In addition, electric companies from as far as Pennsylvania made the long drive to restore power to the city.
The Elkhart County American Red Cross has set up a station at the Nappanee Missionary Church, 70417 S.R. 19, for those temporarily without a place to stay. Bottled water and bagged ice are available for those without electricity or water.
More information is available at the church, 574-773-7773.

Storm facts
• Four days ago an F3 tornado ripped through the eastern part of Nappanee, causing extensive damage to homes and businesses. Sunday, S.R. 19 just south of town and U.S. 6 east of town remain closed. Both are expected to open by Monday.
• Wa-Nee schools will open, though bus traffic will be re-routed around the restricted areas.
• Fairmont Homes and other manufacturers expect to be able to open soon and resume full production.
• More than 3,000 volunteers helped with cleanup yesterday after Mayor Larry Thompson called for a citywide effort. Residents of Bremen, Goshen, Elkhart, Lakeville and other towns throughout Michiana lent a hand in the effort.