What do you see?

All of you know that I often have a different perspective.  I lived in Watkins for seven years.  I got to know many of the people in this little town.  

Estimated Path of the tornado

The tornado was bouncing up and down. It was an EF 2; was on the ground for 2 miles and 600 feet wide.  It hit wind gusts of 125 mph. It tore the roof off from one house and minimal damage to the house next door.  One house was destroyed when the houses on either side had minimal damage.  Despite that, the city of Watkins looked like a war.

Hit and Miss destruction

News channels were there with their mobile units. It is encouraging to the residents to see that others across the state and nation care about them during this catastrophic time.

Newsworthy

Parked down at the end of the road was the American Family Insurance, Catastrophe Team mobile unit. Periodically, you would hear the residents say that their insurance company is telling them to do .... that is because they are on the ground with the people.

It pays to have insurance

So what happens to all of those down trees?  There was a dump truck going North of Watkins just in front of me.  They turned off from County Road 2 and turned in behind Landwheir's farm where there is a gravel pit.

Smoke coming from a gravel pit

I don't know the details. But what I do know was that everything from dump trucks to regular trucks with trailers behind were dropping off branches and downed trees for disposal.  The town was pulling together with helping hands, vehicles and everything else that was needed.

It is the branches and downed trees burning.

That is what I saw when I visited my former hometown after the tornado.  Sure, I saw the destruction and devastation.  I also saw friends, neighbors and relatives helping each other and making sure that the clean up was going as smoothly as possible.  Big hearts and open hands describes the citizens of Watkins.