By Ann Vastmans, American Red Cross
Deneka Reeves and Tabitha Jones have been friends since 4th grade. Jones was staying with Reeves on the night of May 25th when a tornado came through Dexter, MO. Despite talking to her kids about severe weather preparedness, the experience was still a scary one for the family. “It was very traumatic.” Reeves said as she explained how a big tree came down onto the house, causing the ceiling to cave in right where they were sleeping. Jones was able to grab Reeves’ nine-month-old baby just in time to take shelter while Reeves grabbed her other son and dropped to the floor with him.
Reeves’ husband was at work at the time of the tornado. She recalled trying to get a hold of him. When he was able to call her back all she could say was “The house is gone, the house is gone.” Their home, which has been in their family for generations, unfortunately, was beyond repair. The family made the tough decision to sell and relocate away from generations of memories. The front room was about the only room in the house that was not destroyed. “Thankfully, we had just washed all our clothes and had them in the front room because we were going through them to donate to the mission and the mother-to-mother program we have here.”
Reeves and Jones visited the Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) in Dexter, MO. This one-stop shop was designed to provide resources, information, and support to those affected by the tornado and storms. It has been “very, very helpful,” Reeves said with tears in her eyes. “I was able to get assistance to get more diapers and formula”. The rest of the money will be used to find a new house. For Reeves, it was the highlight of her day.
While at the MARC, her young baby formed an instant bond with Red Cross volunteer, Johnny Anderson. Hailing from North Carolina, the 70-year-old has been an American Red Cross volunteer for the last eight years. “I can get them to laugh. They just like me, it’s always been that way,” Anderson said when asked about his seemingly natural way with babies. Anderson helped to keep the baby entertained while Reeves talked through the available resources the American Red Cross had to offer.
Your donations, whether it is your time or treasure, are what allow the American Red Cross to carry out its mission to help people like Deneka Reeves recover from a disaster. For more information, visit redcross.org.
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