Salyersville, Kentucky residents have had a strong relationship with Starke County over the past 70 years with many people from there migrating here to work in the Ordinance Plant at Kingsbury during the Second World War.
Many of the transplants from Salyersville stayed after the war, making Starke County their home.
It was with sorrow that many of those heard of the news Saturday that a tornado ripped through the town Friday night destroying 15 businesses and numerous homes.
Governor Steve Beshear, and U.S. Senator Rand Paul toured the area to inspect the damage. The National Guard in Kentucky was mobilized to assist with clean up efforts, and to provide security for the scores of residents without shelter or power.
13 were killed in southern Indiana and activities in the afflicted areas of the state are shifting to recovery mode with efforts focused on restoring utilities and roadways, cleanup efforts, and assisting those with specific needs. The National Weather Service said that two separate super cell thunderstorms were tracked over southern Indiana and into Kentucky with each producing a tornado. Between the towns of Pekin and Henryville, the storms followed essentially the same path and were separated by about 10 minutes. The first storm was the more powerful of the two, producing an EF-4 tornado which damaged homes and a large junior-senior high school in Henryville. An EF-3 tornado ripped through Washington County. An EF-2 tornado was identified in Posey County and an EF-3 tornado was identified in Ripley County.
One church in the Knox area is collecting items and delivering them to people affected at these tornadoes. The Church of the Heartland will be collecting non-perishable foods, detergent, hair care products, cleaning supplies, paper products, diapers, baby food, and bottled water. Your donation can be taken to the Church of the Heartland, 6020 S. 300 E. in Knox from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT Monday through Friday.
Donations are also being accepted at Pioneer Florist or Robert Howard Co. in North Judson. You may donate money, clothes, bottled water, personal hygiene items, shoes, coats, pots and pans, pillows and blankets, canned food and most everything else you can imagine. If you have any questions, just call Regina at 896-5421 or Bob at 896-2221. If you can help in the transportation end of this mission, contact Regina or Bob.
