Resource center provides one-stop assistance after Taylorville tornado

Dec. 08--TAYLORVILLE -- In one visit Friday, Valerie Streenz was able to receive a $50 gift card to replace spoiled food, a pledge from Christian County sheriff's deputies to buy her two children Christmas presents and information to guide her as her family recovers from the tornado that struck Taylorville on Dec. 1.

The visit to a special tornado-recovery resource center at Taylorville Christian Church also boosted the pride she feels for her hometown.

"I've lived here all my life, and I've never seen people come together like this," Streenz, a home health-care provider, told The State Journal-Register. "The number of people coming together, it's amazing."

More than 180 people from 94 households affected by the EF-3 tornado came through the doors of the "Multi-Agency Resource Center" by the time it closed at 7 p.m. Friday, according to Scott Clarke, the American Red Cross' Springfield-based state emergency management liaison.

The Red Cross helped to set up the center and is offering services there. The center will be open for a second day from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Taylorville Christian Church, 1124 N. Webster St.

More than 20 local and state not-for-profit organizations and governmental agencies, as well as electricity provider Ameren, staffed tables on Friday as people affected by the tornado visited while accompanied by Red Cross "ambassadors" who assisted.

The Red Cross also conducted in-depth discussions with people to determine what Red Cross services might be available to them, Clarke said.

The event brought together about 150 Red Cross volunteers and representatives from the variety of groups staffing the event. Services provided included help with clothes, food, medical supplies, eyeglasses and cleaning supplies.

"Between the Red Cross and the other agencies, I think we addressed a lot of needs," Clarke said.

Groups present included Missions for Taylorville -- the only group so far offering potential grants for people without homeowners' insurance -- as well as the American Baptist Men Disaster Relief Team, Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief, Illinois attorney general's office and the Illinois departments of insurance and human services.

Streenz said she was visiting a friend in St. Louis when the tornado hit Taylorville. More than 500 homes in the community of 11,000 people were damaged by the storm, and more than 30 of those homes were destroyed, according to local officials.

Streenz said her family was relatively fortunate. Her 11-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son weren't hurt as they took cover with their 66-year-old grandmother in a center room of their home in the 400 block of Maxwell Street.

In addition to knocking out power for a time and ruining the food in her refrigerator, Streenz said the storm damaged her roof and garage. The storm also caused a tree to fall on and crush the above-ground swimming pool that her mother, a polio survivor, liked to relax and exercise.

Streenz said she has begun filing a claim with her homeowners insurance company and received valuable advice from the state agencies Friday about next steps.

Streenz also picked up an application for assistance from Missions for Taylorville for her sister, who didn't have homeowners insurance. Streenz said her sister needs to repair damaged gutters and other exterior sections of her house.

Streenz said she appreciated the $50 gift card from the Knights of Columbus, and she was surprised when officers staffing a table for the sheriff's department said they would take her children Christmas shopping.

Extra household expenses created by the tornado have sapped the money she would have spent on Christmas for the children, she said.

"If they hadn't volunteered to do that, my kids probably wouldn't have a Christmas," Steenz said.

Roy Timmes, 28, who drives a taxicab in Taylorville and lives in a rental home in the city with his fianceé, Tiffany Mayes, 22, said he came to the resource center to see whether he could get help paying his $178 water bill for a two-month period.

Timmes said he was short on funds because he helped another family pay for a hotel room and needed to replace food in his house that spoiled because of a storm-related power outage.

He also said he took in less in taxicab fares because of the tornado and decided to reduce what he charged people after the storm as a way of helping the community.

Timmes said he was driving his cab when the tornado hit and saw heavy winds destroy his home's attached garage in the 900 block of West Market Street.

A U.S. Army veteran, Timmes said he was scared but wanted to be outside to be available for anyone who needed help. His fianceé was in the basement of a friend's home and wasn't hurt, he said.

The tornado also damaged the roof of Timmes' home. He said he hopes that his renter's insurance helps cover repairs.

"I'm just here to get a little help," he said.

Contact Dean Olsen: [email protected], 788-1543, twitter.com/DeanOlsen.

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