Twelve-year-old Jase Stadem (son of Pastor Tim Stadem, Our Savior's, Fort Collins) walks amid the rubble of his family's home after a tornado hit in the north-central Colorado community of Windsor on Thursday, May 22, 2008. Tornadoes rolled through northern Colorado on Thursday, leaving a path of destruction through the region. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert)

Windsor, Colorado
Jim Barclay
President Lutheran Family Services of Colorado

On Sunday 5/25/08, following an "LFS Sunday" presentation at Augustana Lutheran Church, Denver, I travelled to Windsor, Colorado to join a team from Redeemer Lutheran Church, Ft. Collins who were making their second trip into the worst of the tornado damaged neighborhoods to help victims. I was particularly happy to join them as their first target of the day was the home of our own LFS staff member, Kim Rais, whose home has been declared unsafe to live in. Three doors down from Kim's home lived Mr and Mrs. Stitch, members of Redeemer and also left with a home scheduled for demolition.

Kim's family and friends were already on site loading trucks and trailers with whatever she could salvage and she was very moved by the added support and assistance from the Redeemer crew. It was very sad but there was also a clear sense of hope in the air as Kim's husband, Mike, stated that they intended to rebuild on that site. After we got the trucks loaded, several of us followed them down to Greeley to Kim's step-sister's home where we stored all of their belongings in the basement. We then returned to the Windsor neighborhood and joined up with about 45 members of Redeemer and began roving the streets looking for places to be helpful.

The final home we assisted for the day received a direct hit from the twister and was clearly the most severely damaged of any that I saw. The garage was gone, the roof was gone and two of the four exterior walls. The interior had not yet been "salvaged" and the owners were not on site so we left that area alone. We carefully sifted through the storm "debris" in the yard, for photographs or any other personal effects to be taken to the community center for later identification and retrieval. Glancing into the kitchen area from what had been the garage, my eyes took in the utter destruction of everything above counter top height before they settled on a plate of chocolate chip and M&M cookies that were carefully stacked on a plate and sitting unscathed but weathered on top of the stove where they had been left when the family dashed for the basement. You see the strangest things in the aftermath of a tornado and those images last a long time, especially for the victims.

Before we left for the day, our little band of responders gathered together on a street corner and joined dirty hands and prayed that God would continue to shower the victims of this storm with comfort and grace and that God would continue to use his people as the hands and feet of Christ in bringing help and hope to those in need. "Team Redeem" planned on returning again on Memorial Day 5/26 to continue their humanitarian response in the neighborhoods of Windsor.

By the unofficial numbers, the storm destroyed approximately 100 homes and left another 200 or so with minor to major damage. Another 400 homes were "affected", meaning tree damage, power outages, shingles missing, etc, but no structural damage. A number of area businesses were badly damaged as well but the total dollar amount for those damages has not been officially calculated yet. In addition to Kim Rais' home, I believe two members of Redeemer and seven members of Bethel Lutheran Church, Windsor, lost their homes in this tornado but Bethel itself wasn't damaged and none of the homes of the three ELCA pastors living in Windsor were damaged either.

This will be the fourth Tornado disaster that I have personally responded to and I believe in many ways it is the worst. Thankfully the loss of life and injuries were minimal, but the destruction of homes and property was pretty incredible. The Governor has requested a federal declaration of disaster but it will be several days/week before we know the outcome.

On Tuesday 5/27/08 I will meet with James Horan and George Cummings of our LFS Disaster Response program to plan our response in Windsor and all the other communities affected by this storm. Much will depend on receiving a federal disaster declaration from the President because that will trigger some funding from Lutheran Disaster Response in Chicago. In addition, the Rocky Mt District LC-MS is looking into making a vacant church available in Windsor for disaster response activities, children's camps and community events, throughout the summer and fall. Also, the Rocky Mt Synod ELCA passed a resolution last week at their annual Synod Assembly, to declare Sunday June 1st as a day to take collections in support of Lutheran Disaster Response. Many churches along the Front Range have pledged volunteers and other assists as the needs are clarified and I will follow up with updates as our outreach planning becomes more defined.

In the meantime I have listed below the places to make donations in support of victims. Please feel free to access these places and make donations as you are so inclined. They are all operated by co-members in the state VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) with LFS and do an exceptionally good job of getting donations of things and money to the people who need it.

United Way 211 or for Weld County 211 call 1-800-559-5590

WINDSOR TORNADO
Distribution Center for Tornado Victims
Location: 810 3rd Street (gymnasium of Mountain View Elementary School, Windsor)
Open 9am to 6pm daily
The Colorado Friendship program will also setup there to distribute undergarments and other items

Collection Donation Center Windsor Tornado
Location: 1159 Main Street in Windsor (Old Steele's grocery)
Open 9am to 6pm or as announced
Operation times after Sunday TBD
Accepting donations of new or lightly used items of the following:

Household goods; cleaning supplies; bedding; nonperishable foods
Kitchen supplies; new hygiene products; shovels and rakes

NOT BEING TAKEN: NO CLOTHING, NO BUILDING SUPPLIES, NO FURNITURE

Collection Center in Fort Collins
DROP OFF: NORTHSIDE OF THE FOOD BANK OF LARIMER COUNTY
1301 Blue Spruce Dr. Fort Collins, CO
Hours of Operation: Saturday, Sunday and Monday 10:00am to 5:00pm

The Salvation Army is looking for the following items:
Meat (only USDA approved)
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Foods
Snacks, (individually wrapped not bulk)
Lip Balm; SunScreen; Insect Repellent
Drinks ;Gatorade, Water, Juice, Coffee
Bandanas; Fuel: Diesel and Regular
Propane; Ice; Leather Gloves
Comfort items such as new socks and new tshirts
NO USED ITEMS AT THIS TIME!