The people of Western Massachusetts used their wits and opened their hearts to raise funds and spirits in the wake of the devastating tornadoes that struck the region.
Westfield Fire Capt. Eric M. Bishop, with the help of other firefighters, volunteered to clear downed trees in the back yard of an elderly resident on Steiger RoadFrom the owner of an ice cream company to an off-duty firefighter to the members of a National Junior High School Honor Society, the people of Western Massachusetts used their wits and opened their hearts to raise funds and spirits in the wake of the devastating tornadoes that struck the region.
Here are just a few of their stories:
WILBRAHAM | ‘Nice place to live’
Selectmen’s chairman Patrick J. Brady says he was inspired in the days following the June 1 tornado as the community rallied to recover.
“I saw teens carrying rakes and saws, helping those who needed help, and children carrying sandwiches, lemonade and iced tea,” he said.
“Wilbraham is a nice place to live,” added Selectman James E. Thompson.
Volunteers helped spruce up Adams Cemetery to clear downed trees and debris so that a dignified funeral could be held; others toiled to help remove fallen trees from the Children’s Museum on Main Street.
SPRINGFIELD | ‘Big Mo’ in town
Western Massachusetts Electric Co. established a satellite facility at Eastfield Mall with 24-hour security to manage the power outages for its customers in the Sixteen Acres and East Forest Park neighborhoods.
The facility, according to Sandra Ahearn , communications director, included a mobile command center “affectionately known as ‘Big Mo.’” Mo comes complete with a meals tent, which served 5,000 meals over the first three days after the tornadoes, laundry service, 50 porta potties and six wash stations.
The utility also contracted for 350 hotel rooms across the region to house the 150 crews of workers who came to the region to help.
MONSON | ‘UnGodly roar’
Tim Aloisio , whose motorcycling column, “On Two Wheels,” appears in The Republican’s Plus Papers and on MassLive.com, says he was amazed how the tornado came within 200 yards of his home but spared it serious damage.
“I lost one big oak and sustained no damage to my home. I was in my garage when it approached, simply an unGodly roar the likes of which I will never forget,” Aloisio said. “I had debris from destroyed houses in my yard, even found a water bottle full of change that came from a house a half-mile away.”
Out of the bad comes good, Aloisio added.
“I can also tell you that I have never been prouder to be an American and from Monson. The way people pulled together and all of the work crews that came was simply mind boggling,” he said. “I was nearly moved to tears to see what was going on amid the chaos and rubble. I will never take for granted again the many resources we have available to us nor will I simply dismiss the report of a twister in some far away tornado alley. Now I know. And, I will never forget.”
‘My town needs me’
Hope Bodwell left Monson a year ago for a new life in New York City, leaving behind her job as director of the Monson Free Library and numerous roles on many town committees. After she heard about the tornado, it didn’t take her long to come back to Monson, and start helping in any way she could. Bodwell has served food at the Fire Department to the firefighters, helped Town Administrator Gretchen E. Neggers, and also assisted with the organization of the tornado information meeting on June 14 at the middle school. “I had to come back. My town was in need. I’m staying indefinitely,” Bodwell said.
SPRINGFIELD | Ice cream giveaway
Free ice cream was given away to tornado victims June 7 by a Worcester construction company.
Working with the American Red Cross, Capstone General Contracting delivered an ice-cream truck to the door of the MassMutual Center shelter. “The goal was to make the kids happy and give them some feeling of normalcy,” said Capstone sales manager Charbel Najem.
Kimberly A. Desy, owner of Desy Ice Cream and Concessions, donated her time and her truck to distribute, the ice cream. “I’m from Sturbridge and our town was hit hard by the tornado. Capstone contacted me and I wanted to come and help,” said Desy, who was assisted by her sons Graydon, 11 and Bryce, 13.
AIC volunteersThe campus of American International College may have been spared by the tornado, but that didn’t stop the college community from providing assistance to victms.
Keyshawn Dodds, director of Greek life at American International, said students and staff members took to the streets daily to help with the cleanup efforts.
“We just go out and start cleaning, mostly in the area of Island Pond Road,” he said. “Residents are a little taken aback at first when they see 10 or 15 of us show up with rakes and trash bags, but when we tell them we just want to help, they really appreciate it.”
“We are part of the community,” Dodds said, “and just because the college was not hit, doesn’t mean we are not affected. We have to help in any way we can.”
Good neighborWhile dealing with damage on its campus, Springfield College wasn’t deterred from helping its neighbors.
It provided temporary housing for a family who was displaced by the storm, offered a staging area for National Guard soldiers, helped remove trees and debris from sidewalks and cleared a number of damaged trees at Lake Massasoit .
In a joint partnership with Aramark food services, lunch was offered on the Springfield College campus the week of June 13 to hundreds of neighborhood residents each day.
Students – in a volunteer effort organized by Josh Schupack and Dave Burckhard – also distributed 30 to 40 cases of water and more than 700 sandwiches to residents in affected areas and helped organize activities for children in city neighborhoods hit hardest by the tornado. Some students also traveled to Brimfield to help with clean-up efforts there.
‘Showing love’Curtis G. Rowe, pastor of Heritage Baptist Church on Plumtree Road, said the volunteers and the donations just keep coming in to aid the victims of the June 1 tornado.
The donations have ranged from a check for $1,200 from the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club in Springfield to a married couple from Amherst who arrived in a pickup truck loaded with supplies, Rowe said.
Heritage Church initially focused on providing food to the victims and volunteers, then shifted to providing needed supplies. The church is now planning to use a rented trailer to hold supplies and some appliances, he said.
“It’s part of our Christian opportunity to show the love of Jesus Christ in our community,” Rowe said.
WESTFIELD | ‘Sense of duty’
After spending the nightshift responding to emergencies created by the June 1 tornado, off-duty Fire Capt. Eric M. Bishop spent at least eight hours the next day canvassing Shaker Road neighborhoods on Falley and Glenwood drives to assist with tree removal.
Armed with his chain saw, Bishop walked the area because vehicle traffic was hampered by downed trees and power lines.
“I feel that as a fire captain I am connected to the community. There was no obligation but a sense of duty. I had the spare time, I had a chain saw and people needed help,” he said.
‘We care about it’During the two weekends after the tornado, hundreds of volunteers turned out at Munger Hill Elementary School on Mallard Drive to assist cleanup there and in the surrounding area.
Those included several students from Westfield High School including Shannon C. Boley, Trent M. McAdam and Benjamin J. Parent, all 16.
Also helping in weekend cleanup was Westfield State University biologist Buzz B. Hoaglund, who said, “We live in a community, and helping one another in a time of need is what we’re supposed to do.
Munger Hill custodians Russell A. Miller, Kenneth A. Newell and Jose Nieves were credited with staying the school that night attending to others there and securing the structure after a 20-foot section of roof was destroyed. Miller and Nieves were manning their regular work shift when the storm hit. Newell’s shift had ended at 2 p.m. but he returned after hearing of the potential of a severe storm.
“This is our school. We care about it,” said Newell.
SOUTH HADLEY | Walk for relief
At Michael E. Smith Middle School, members of the National Junior Honor Society organized a walk-a-thon on June 6 from 10 a.m. to noon. About 600 students participated in the 2.6-mile walk, according to Kathi Chlanda, adviser to the honor society.
They raised slightly more than $5,000, which was divided between the American Red Cross and the South Hadley Food Pantry.
WEST SPRINGFIELD | Refugee feted
Eighteen-year-old Devi Adhikari never dreamed she would still get a graduation party to mark her finishing her studies at West Springfield High School after her family’s home was destroyed in the tornado.
However, officials at Coburn Elementary School, where they were being sheltered as well as people from the high school, put on a party for her at Coburn following her graduation ceremony on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition the weekend after the tornado.
Well-wishers brought in food from Pintu’s, an Indian restaurant, because it is close the type of food which is traditionally eaten by her family. They are from Bhutan and spent many years living in a refugee camp in Nepal before coming to this country two years ago.
The well-wishers also supplied Devi with two party dresses, but she asked that she not get anything unless a new dress could be provided for her best friend, Tulasa Katiwoda. The 18-year-old sophomore at West Springfield High School is also a refugee who became homeless because of the tornado.
“She also needed a dress. She is also my friend and she does not have anything,” Devi said.
PALMER | It’s a wash
Joey Chartier may be only 8, but he wanted to do something to help the people of Monson, so with help from his mother, Shari Chartier, they organized a benefit car wash. “Rocky Ace Hardware of Palmer allowed and supplied us with many things needed to help with the car wash; the owner himself came down and had his car washed. We had a lot of great volunteers .¤.¤. Eric and Tracy from Meffens Landscaping that had seen our posting on Facebook and came down to help. They had food, supplies for the volunteers.
“My biggest thanks goes to the children volunteers; they worked so hard and it was overwhelming to see these children work this hard to help other people,” Shari Chartier wrote. She said more than 300 cars came, and they raised $3,656.61 for the town of Monson’s tornado relief fund. “I am so thankful for all the kind people to make this happen .¤.¤. And a special thanks to Joey Chartier, my 8-year-old for inspiring me and many to help,” Shari Chartier wrote.