Volunteers, supplies needed for storm cleanup

In a report issued this morning, the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency estimates 70 destroyed homes in Hickory County, 25 homes with major damage and 29 with minor damage in Lawrence County, four homes with major damage and 14 with minor damage in Greene County and 39 destroyed homes and barns and 115 damaged homes and barns in Webster County.

A number of local agencies are focusing their recovery efforts on Christian County, where hundreds of homes were damaged by tornadoes early Monday morning.

The Nixa Area Chamber of Commerce will begin disaster volunteer staging Wednesday morning at the Bridge Church, 308 W. Mount Vernon. Volunteers and chainsaw operators with chainsaws are needed for debris removal.

Volunteers with last names beginning with letters A through L will be assigned at 9 a.m., and volunteers with last names beginning with M through Z will be assigned at 10 a.m. Volunteers are asked to bring identification and dress in work attire.

Also in Nixa, Compassion Alliance, at the corner of Highway CC and Main Street, is accepting supply donations. No clothing will be taken, but needed supplies include personal care items, cleaning supplies, vouchers and gift cards for meals, lodging and clothing, shelf staple food, work gloves, rakes, flat shovels, brooms, heavy-duty trash bags, safety glasses, dust masks, hard hats, flashlights and batteries, generators with oil and gas cans, and chainsaws with oil mix and gas cans.

The Alliance also is accepting tax-deductible cash donations. Call (417) 725-8761 for information.

In Springfield, Convoy of Hope is providing water and supplies to response agencies and working with local churches and organizations in relief efforts. Convoy’s Disaster Response Team is working with Emergency Management officials, and the organization has provided water, milk, food and personal hygiene kits to efforts in Aurora, Clever, Marionville, Marshfield and Nixa.

About 30 volunteers from local churches are working with Convoy to canvass neighborhoods and help work through damaged areas.

Convoy is accepting cash donations and volunteers. Call (417) 823-8998 for information.

Gov. Matt Blunt on Monday declared a state of emergency throughout Missouri, issuing executive orders authorizing the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Missouri National Guard to assist in recovery efforts. The DNR will have the discretion to waive laws and rules pertaining to waste disposal and open burning to eliminate debris.

Volunteers and businesses also may contact the area’s Emergency Management Office at (417) 581-2126 to give time or clean-up supplies.