Coming together after a storm
The city of Lennox was hit by a tornado on Saturday, Aug. 28, and just like people would expect of a small-town, people came together to clean up the mess.
Trees had fallen into the streets and on houses. Roofs were torn off sheds near the industrial area of the town. The cemetery and golf course had trees uprooted. Portions of the high school’s commercial roofing had been torn off. Basements were flooded and roofs were torn off houses so residential roof repair professionals and residential roof replacement contractors like Knipp Roofing were called immediately. After assessing the damages on your roof, you’ll find out if it can still be fixed or a new metal roof installation will be needed. Visit sites like loaconstruction.com/houston/ if you need roofing assistance.
While the schools were expected to begin on Aug. 31, there is a lot of work to be done around the entire community, like replacing roofs over here. Fallen branches and trees will need to be cleaned up and brought to the dump.
Despite all the destruction, the town has followed the idea of a rural community and its ability to gather. Thirty minutes after the storm hit, people were outside in the streets moving branches out of the way so cars could come and go. Next, you could hear chainsaws down every block and trailers appearing seemingly from thin air.
Despite a tornado just hitting the town, everyone was working hard to get things cleaned.
I met a guy who went to Tea to buy a chainsaw after the storm so he could help. The high school football team gathered and went to help throughout the town.
Lennox is an older town and with it comes a lot of families who have been there for ages. Around 20% of Lennox’s population is 60 and older. While the “young folk”—that’s what they called us—cut down trees and lugged branches, they ran around giving us water and snacks.
When they saw people get tired, they would pull them aside and start going on a tangent about one thing or another. Whether they did it on purpose I have no clue, but it certainly helped.
When one yard was cleaned, everyone moved to the next. Everyone helped each other, not because they had to but because they were friends and family. In a time of crisis, these communities always come together and help everyone.
What I found most amusing was everyone meeting each other. One man down the street had just moved in and I guess this was just a way to introduce himself because he came right over and said “Yeah, I live two doors down.” Then he started throwing branches on the trailer, and that was the end of it.
Small towns seem almost fairytale-like because of this togetherness during or after a disaster, but it isn’t fake. People in a community care for each other and will look after one another.
