Aiding storm victims

Living in the country is almost a serene experience. It feels peaceful, sitting in a beautiful backyard, watching the sun filtering through the trees as you listen to the birds singing to each other. But in one moment, that peace is shattered as a tornado can destroy your house and life as you knew it

This was Cindy Masanz’s reality when a tornado moved through rural Auburndale. The television and radio only said to expect severe thunderstorms, nothing about tornados. So Cindy and her family were in the living room, only beginning to move down to the basement when the tornado hit.

Cindy is grateful for their solid wood door. A hollow core door would have broken when her eldest son was thrown against it and he would have been lost. A wall fell in, trapping her middle son. Cindy pulled him out and took the children to the basement. “His leg was severely injured, the vein was cut and I had to apply pressure and hold with my hand so he would not bleed to death in the basement,” she said.

With the clothes on their backs and very little else, Cindy and her family were able to receive help from the United Way-funded American Red Cross volunteers as the need arose. This included vouchers for food, clothes, and motel rooms. The program aids in the recovery process to help people in need get back on track, because insurance and job needs do not go on hold when disasters strike.

Cindy felt lost after the tornado, but the Red Cross helped whenever they could, talking to Cindy to ease her fears and concerns. Volunteers from around the country receive the same training to deal with emergencies. “They have the same skill set when dealing with the paperwork and casework as a volunteer in California or New York would. It is key to have this network of volunteers. If a disaster would strike nationally, the individual chapters can come together and work as one,” said Pattie Kelnhoffer, associate director.

It took years for life to return to a state of normalcy for Cindy and her family. “I still get nervous when it storms,” she said. No one is immune to the effects of severe weather, but no one has to face the aftermath alone. With the support from the United Way and United Way -funded programs, families can cope through this stressful time. With any tragedy, need extends beyond immediate help. United Way-funded programs provide long-term assistance; this includes food and clothing pantries, counseling, housing and financial counseling.

Marshfield Area United Way opened the door for Cindy and her children to recover from the storm. Your contributions to the 2005 Campaign will continue to help others like Cindy who need support. Their good start is what matters.