MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer
Posted: Sunday, May 31, 2009 7:18 am

Elijah Inmon, 2, finds just what he is looking for at the Greenhouse Ministries warehouse at Stones River Mall. He lost his home and toys to the Good Friday Tornado. TMP/Erin Edgemon

From manual labor to benefit concerts, the people and charities of Rutherford County stepped up to help their neighbors in the aftermath of the Good Friday Tornado.

Churches, musicians and businesses all lent a hand in the days and weeks following the EF-4 tornado that tore a path from Eagleville to Lascassas, leaving many homeless and hopeless.

But they weren’t helpless for long as churches, school groups and lone volunteers showed up in front yards across the tornado’s path to help with the clean-up process.

“Although this was a devastating event, the outpouring of community support has been remarkable,” said Greg King, Heart of Tennessee Red Cross director.

The local chapter of the Red Cross alone has raised more than $160,000 for tornado relief efforts, HOT Red Cross Development Director Beth Ferguson said.

“We do believe because of the outpouring of support from the community, we will be able to fully fund this relief operation,” she said.

The Red Cross has used the money to conduct damage assessments to more than 800 homes, operate a shelter and operations center for six days, distribute more than 17,000 meals and snacks to victims and volunteers, and provide grief counseling and first aid to more than 500 victims.

The charity also distributed more than 4,000 comfort kits, clean-up kits and stuffed animals, and gave out hundreds of tarps, work gloves, dust masks, garbage bags and batteries.

After the Storm

When the clean up was done, other organizations opened their doors and hearts to help get life back to seemingly normal for many families.

The United Way of Rutherford County set up a Tornado Relief Fund, which is a long-term recovery fund to aid in the process of rebuilding Murfreesboro. All donations will stay in Rutherford County.

Donations are accepted at any First Bank branch in the state or at the organization’s Web site, www.uwrutherford.org.

Greenhouse Ministries opened a “store” in the old Goody’s location in Stones River Mall, where they are distributing donated household items to tornado victims.

There are still household goods and other items available. Donations left will be auctioned Saturday, June 20 with the proceeds going to tornado victims, said Leslie Mertz, Greenhouse program director.

People who donated items but don’t want them auctioned may pick them up by June 20.

Mertz said about 50 people overall have staffed the store since it opened last month with volunteers from everywhere, including MTSU, AARP and local churches.

“We’ve been fully staffed out there; it’s been great,” she said.

Overall, Greenhouse has raised more than $42,000 from local individuals, organizations and businesses, including American Legion, Murfreesboro Medical Clinic, Chili’s restaurant and Little Caesar’s Pizzeria. Greenhouse Ministries has given away $20,000 so far.

Mertz said in the beginning most of the money went to helping victims buy mattresses, pay the first month’s rent and deposit on apartments, and for rental cars to replace damaged ones. Greenhouse even paid for repairs to a tow truck because it is the driver’s sole source of income.

The organization has also given away many weather radios, she said.

Recently, Greenhouse has been helping tornado victims pay insurance deductibles.

Greenhouse Ministries encourages people who need assistance to come by their office at 410 W. Lytle St. near downtown Murfreesboro.

“I know that’s a huge chunk of money (deductibles), especially in a recession,” Mertz said.

There is no income limit to the financial help, and Mertz wants to encourage anyone with a need to come by.

“We see a lot of renters, but we haven’t seen a lot of the ones who wouldn’t know we’re here,” she said.

Volunteer Spirit

To help in the Red Cross recovery effort more than 315 Middle Tennessee American Red Cross volunteers were activated and more than 20 were used.

“Since April 10, more than 400 new Red Cross volunteers have joined our chapter and completed preliminary training in disaster response,” Ferguson said, adding most of the volunteers came from Nissan in Smyrna.

“We are now focused on preparing for the next disaster and we encourage anyone out there to become a volunteer and we thank those who have signed up since the storms and given of your time, talents and treasure to further our mission,” King said.

Mertz said the volunteer spirit in Murfreesboro doesn’t surprise her, because Greenhouse Ministries relies on the help daily.

“It was neat seeing people give their lunch hour because that was all they had,” Mertz said “That was great to see.”

When people had more to give, they did.

Adventist Community Services of Middle Tennessee had truckloads of food, clothing, toys and other items available for victims at its 2815 Elam Road location.

Middle Tennessee Association of Realtors gave toys to children.

The Rutherford/Cannon County Bar Association held free legal clinics for victims of the tornado and gave free legal advice on insurance claims, insurance policy reviews, contract reviews or other general legal advice.

Maple Street Bar and Grill, MTSU’s Music Department, Aerospace Maintenance Club of MTSU, Siegel High School students, and Murfreesboro’s own Chris Young and Ritchie McDonald – just to name a few – held benefit concerts for the Red Cross, Greenhouse Ministries and the United Way.

Businesses, like Penny’s Closet and Shoney’s, donated portions of their proceeds to local charities to help with the recovery effort.

Overall, Murfreebboro lived up to Tennessee’s nickname: The Volunteer State.

Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.