Volunteers help with cleanup in Greenwood following devastating tornado
GREENWOOD, Del. – Trucks, bulldozers, dumpsters, and over 75 volunteers made their way down Fawn road in Greenwood Sunday, helping to clear debris, repair roofs, and haul trash from affected homes.
The home hardest hit belonged to Staci Warrington, who says she was in Ocean City Saturday when she got a call from a neighbor to brace for the worst.
“I was out at dinner she called me and said honey you gotta get home right now your house is gone,” Warrington said.
Warrington tells us when she got homes he found not a single wall standing, only a toilet bolted to her floor and her refrigerator.
“I’ve heard tornado warnings they say to get in your bathtub, my tub thrown into my backyard upside down,” Warrington said.
She tells 47 ABC her silver lining through the loss of her home is the fact all 4 dogs and one cat in the home at the time it was struck survived.
“I don’t know that I would have, I would have never left my dogs and I saw my couch when I pulled up thrown all the way onto my backyard, with wood impaling it,” Warrington said.
Volunteer group Good Ole Boys, put out a call for volunteers Saturday night, and by 7:30 am, organizers say over 60 volunteers were hard at work, with help and support from local businesses.
“Melton Joseph materials opened up their plant to haul yard waste, DSWA opened up for construction waste, the main effort is just clearing out space, Lowe’s is here with boxes to help homeowners organizer belongings so a lot of help from businesses out here,” said volunteer Joe Garvilla.
Garvilla was working to get local businesses and resources involved with the cleanup, drawing on his experience with the Laurel 2019 tornado cleanup.
“I’ve worked with managing these issues, but Josh Wharton from good ole boys is running this I’m just helping any way I can,” Garvilla said.
In a statement to 47 ABC Josh Wharton said that “We’d like to thank all of the volunteers, the first responders, the Sussex Tech Baseball team, the utility workers, the local businesses and ladies who fixed for their efforts today.”
Warrington tells 47 ABC, with her house a total loss, she’s glad volunteers helped her sort through her belongings, as she hopes to salvage what she can and plan for what’s next.
“Just the amount of people who have come out to help it’s overwhelming,” Warrington said.
Governor Carney in his visit to the affected area met with Warrington and pledged a commitment from DEMA to help her rebuild in the coming months.
