THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN WWW.KANSAN.COM | NEWS | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2007
GREENSBURG TORNADO
Students return home to desolation
The home of Kelly McKinney, Greensburg junior, was destroyed by the tornado that hit the town in May. McKinney said her family plans to build a new home on the foundation of the house that was destroyed.
By Maggie VanBuskirk
mvanbuskirk@kansan.com
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY KELLY MCKINNEY
University students returned to Greensburg two weeks after an F5 tornado destroyed their hometown May 4.
With the town still barely operable a month later, the students are experiencing a different summer than they anticipated. The reality of the extent of the destruction is still sinking in.
"I've been living the last three months in a disaster area," Zach White, sophomore, said. "It's so hard to grasp and accept what has happened. After a while, it's numbing."
Zach's sister, Stephanie, a KU graduate student, said only five percent of the houses in Greensburg remained livable after the storm. After graduation Stephanie visited home for a week. At first, she said she felt disoriented at the sight.
The Whites' house suffered window, siding and roof damage but the destruction did not force the family to relocate. It is one of 10 houses currently livable with working electricity, sewer and water systems. Though rebuilding of homes and businesses might begin as early as July, a lot must be accomplished before actual
KANSAN.COM
A photo gallery of the destruction in Greensburg
reconstruction starts.
Most Greensburg residents had no other option but to move because of the severe property damage.
"There is so much debris that when the town is rebuilt it will be farther south than it was before," Stephanie said. "There is so much glass and metal all over the place that remaining facilities, like the football field, won't be safe for use. It's like starting from zero."
Zach said he still meets with friends from his hometown but it's difficult with them scattered to towns like Wichita, Pratt and Coldwater as much as two hours away.
Kelly McKinney, junior, said her family relocated to Coldwater, 30 miles south of Greensburg.
Kelly said the tornado tore down her house's outer walls and left no trace of any interior walls except for those of two bathrooms.
The family recovered only a few items: a couch, a chair and a refrigerator. Items found in their basement were mostly unusable because
of water damage and everything upstairs was completely gone, Kelly said.
The Whites plan to return to Greensburg in October or November and build a new house on the foundation of their old one.
The students are unsure of Greensburg's future.
"Greensburg will never be normal in the aspect of what it was before," Kelly said. "But eventually it will get back on its feet and I hope to see it grow."
Greensburg still has a 10 p.m. curfew, Stephanie said, because there are still no streetlights or storm shelters. The rebuilding of Greensburg depends on the reconstruction of U.S. Route 54, a major highway that ran through the town.
Edited by Ben Smith
Red Lyon Tavern
A touch of Irish
in downtown Lawrence
944 Massachusetts 832-8228
The Methodist Church in Greensburg was nearly destroyed by the tornado. Services are still held every Sunday inside a tent near the wreckage that remains of the church.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY KELLY MCKINNEY
Show raises hundreds for Greensburg
By Sam Carlson
scarlson@kansan.com
The small fee of $2 was all it took to see live music and help the city of Greensburg on June 13.
At least 150 people attended for an event at the Eighth Street Tap Room, 801 New Hampshire St. Matt Toplikar, local musician and organizer of the event, said the show raised $420 for the Greensburg Relief Fund to help rebuild the city that was devastated by a tornado in early May. A donation jar raised money in addition to the profits made from the cost of admission.
The dark room at the Tap Room became so crowded that a few members of the audience sat on the floor as nine different acts, both solos and duets, performed for longer than three hours.
"I think everyone had a good time. It was good to see that people came out
during the week," Toplikar, 25, said.
He said he felt the need to contribute to the rebuilding after his friends visited the city and assisted in the cleanup. "I was just thrilled to see Matt wanting to do something," said Jeremy Sidener, Tap Room manager.
Toplikar, who was the first act of the night, said he had been planning the benefit show for about a month. He had played shows at the bar before and knew all the musicians personally, so all that was left for him to do was get approval from management, set the date and put up flyers.
Bar patrons filled every seat in the room and many stood, lining the walls and the rear of the room. The attendance surprised Sidener, who said Wednesday night is usually an off-night for the bar.
"He definitely made something out of nothing," Sidener said.
It was good to see that people came out... ENTERED BY JEAN CAPULNOI
Edited by Joe Caponio