Joplin

Over Labor Day weekend, Homecoming Steering Committee took a trip to Joplin, Mo. to clean up damaged properties from the tornado on May 22. One of our committee's student directors, Morgan, had the tragedy of losing her home to the natural disaster, with a vast amount of her family's belongings gone. Thus, everyone on committee was happy to go support a cause that was so close to home and help the Joplin aftermath. Morgan's family was kind enough to host all 27 of us in the new home they just purchased a couple of miles west of Joplin. 

Sunday morning, we caravanned the four-hour trip in five cars and met a 6th car in Joplin. Driving brings out my competitive side, resulting in our committee tweeting the trip under the hashtag #katiesaysno. The four-hour drive flew by and car rides really are a great experience--whether you're chatting, listening to music or playing games. I saw some of Jefferson City, Lake of the Ozarks and Springfield, Mo. for the first time. 

Taking a trip with 26 other friends is always a hilarious experience, especially with the smartphone and information age. Our committee was communicating via Twitter, GroupMe and texts simultaneously, always curious as to why we weren't using another outlet. We read about other cars' statuses and locations on Twitter, familiarized ourselves with each others' jokes and really did utilize technology for the better. GroupMe is a group conference calling and text messaging system, and the entire Homecoming Committee receives one phone number that you call or text to proceed to call or text the entire group. 

We were not aware of the conference calling feature, but Brandon reminded us of it when we arrived to Joplin and met in the Sam's Club parking lot. We used it to take a driving tour of Joplin and drive the perimeter of the tornado itself. Morgan's car led the caravan and each car called into the conference and plugged the smartphone into the car speakers. Essentially, Morgan gave us a guided tour of her demolished hometown via the conference system passing sites like the town hospital, public high school, trailer park where residents are staying and her old property. It was fascinating that we had the ability to see and hear about everything, and an eye-opening experience to see such tragedy in our very own state. 

Arriving in Joplin 

Driving tour of the tornado perimeter

Observing some of the damage from the car

After seeing everything firsthand, we went back to unpack at Morgan's house where her family had cooked us a nice dinner and barbecue for the night. Her family was very thankful for everyone's help, so much that they were willing to have 27 college students sleep in their new home so we could volunteer the following day. After some burgers and bonding time, one of our committee members suggested the idea of driving to the casino in Oklahoma since the gambling age there is 18. Oklahoma happens to be five miles away from Joplin, a geography lesson I was unaware of. The cars successfully continued the caravan and our entire committee spent two hours in the casino together.

The casino was rather busy since the band Kansas had just played at the hotel's stage, so naturally, the concert attendees emptied out into the casino. I felt like a child at Chuck E. Cheese's as all of us ran through the casino like it was a playground. It was some of our first time gambling, and others had more experience. Three of our committee members won over $100 to take home by the end of the night, and I can say myself that I ended up taking home more than I went in with. It literally felt like a movie, with a ton of old grumps upset at their "breaking even" as 27 college students happily ran through. Needless to say, I can't wait to be 21 and gamble every once in awhile.

We arose early at 7 a.m. the next morning (after some group conference calling in the middle of the night) to go to the sites where we would be picking up debris. Joplin's street names in the part of town where the tornado hit are mainly numbered or named after states, so we drove to 26th and Pennsylvania after checking in at the AmeriCorps office and signing contracts. A man named Wayne ("Rolla Wayne") accompanied us to provide instructions and assistance.

At the first site, our main objective was to pick up wood, cement, nails and other large items and put them at the end of the property so it could be removed. With so many volunteers, we created an assembly line to carry the heavy materials and then have others rake and smooth the ground. Wayne mentioned that the goal to strive for was so "a baby could walk barefoot on the property and be okay."

There were a few components that stood out making this experience so powerful.

• Joplin is not in a third-world country, it is right here in the United States, in the same state where we attend college. Heck, their taxpayers contribute to our university. Many of the people in Joplin affected by the tornado didn't have insurance and only have a few more months of help provided before they have to move out or decide whether to claim their property. The fact that this occurred to people we go to school with and that are in the US made it hit home that much more.
• The affected residents of Joplin have personal belongings flying everywhere. When we were on these properties cleaning up debris, birthday cards, kitchen materials, picture frames, CDs and even an engagement ring were right in front of us. Belonging to someone else, who could just never take it back because of poor condition or poor emotional memories with the item after its demolition. Seeing these personal items made me cry knowing that these possessions weren't and could never be claimed. I can't even envision what I and many of my friends and family members would do with all of their possessions flying around. 
• One key factor that is noticeable where the tornado hit is how empty this area of Joplin is. An area of town that used to have many businesses, homes, residential areas and restaurants was now silent and you can see so far into the distance because it is so empty. You go from a city and town environment to an area that looks like the homes I helped build in Tijuana, Mexico in less than a mile. The only difference was the paved roads, but Mexico's condition and Joplin's condition both allow a wide view of everything because of the emptiness and dirt & dust everywhere. I had some Project Mexico flashbacks, but we were completing the opposite: demolition and removal of items rather than providing them to a family. Putting this into perspective is upsetting once again- that such a service is necessary to help someone's life move on. 
• Our own friends volunteering together, for Joplin and for another friend and committee member. By completing such this clean-up work and powerful experience together, we learned a lot about each other, how we communicate as a group and how we can provide service to the community.  

Picking up debris on our first site

Debris at the end of the property to get picked up

 After a few hours removing rock and heavier material from the first site, we drove over to a second property to clean up. I took a little break to drive my friend Rachel to Walgreens to receive a tetanus shot, because she stepped in a nail and hadn't had this shot. We succeeded after using our assertiveness to call doctors across the state and get a prescription for the shot immediately, and she could walk out happy and able to work the rest of the day. With Joplin's emptiness, we found the other cars by overseeing them from a higher point and drove to the next property.

The second site had been a lot less touched and clean up than the first one. This family had chosen to let a lot of their materials disappear rather than pick some of them up to revive. The walls and floor boards were still up and needed to be demolished and taken to the end of the road. The whole experience was a challenge figuring out what we could safely do next without completely hurting someone else. The couch, toilet, television and other large items were in tact and had been laying out for months. Everything was covered in so much wood and dust that we actually wore face masks at this site. I would say that after 4 hours, we did a lot to the site and left it in a lot better place than what it was when we started.

The second work site

Homecoming committee members at the second site

Demolition

After finishing up at the second home, we signed some walls in a volunteer house that was started by a Joplin family. Wayne told us that the current plans are to take these walls and put them in a museum.

Signing the volunteer house

This two-day trip felt like a week with how much we accomplished. Thank you to Morgan's family, the appreciative Joplin residents the Homecoming committee members for such a powerful trip!