We have all read about the many people involved in the cleanup of the tornado destruction. There was the Red Cross, the United Way, the Salvation Army, then we read about the Sheriff’s Department, the Guntersville Fire Department and many others but, did you hear about all of those that have given so much and asked for nothing in return?

The day after the tornadoes struck our area we walked down the tree-strewn road to the intersection that would allow us passage to Highway 227. It was totally blocked by a huge oak, at that intersection, as well as two other trees on the adjacent road. None of us had saws large enough to cut them and we felt certain that it would be days before we could get out.

The next morning we heard saws and trucks down the road, and we investigated finding that the Alder Spring Volunteer Fire Department saw the problem, and without being asked to do anything, or being called, they came and removed that huge oak and several other trees that had completely blocked the rest of the street. These fine gentlemen worked feverously to be sure no one in the area was without a way to get out, or for emergency vehicles to get in.

I stood on my friend’s rear deck surveying the damage on Buck’s Island across the river a few days later, when a voice caught my attention. I looked to the right and there, below me, was a gentleman from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He asked if the owner of the house was there and I called her to come and talk to him. He told her that he had a crew of men that worked on weekends to help folks and they would be glad to help her. (She had twenty-three trees uprooted and laying in her front yard, except for the one on her house and two on her mini-wagon) She told him she had contracted someone to do the work and didn’t need him. I asked for, and received his phone number.

My wife gave the phone number to another neighbor who needed more help than we could provide her. It has been three weeks since that devastation. Today, a caravan of cars and trucks from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints arrived at our neighbor’s home. She had four trees on the crushed patio/roof that had covered her garage entry, one on her back sun-room and another ten or twelve spread across her yard. They would not accept money for the wonderful work they did removing the trees that others had helped cut up, cutting up the rest of the trees on the property, cleaning the yard, and moving the large cut-up logs onto an area for pickup later by the debris removal crews.

A brief footnote: While the Alder Volunteer Fire Department was working so hard for us, the Fire Chief’s home and automobile were destroyed, and yet, he put the people of his community first.

There are no doubt many more stories of organizations and ordinary people that gave so much without any desire for recognition. If you know of them, give them not only your heartfelt thanks, but a thank you from all of us in the Tornado stricken area. Remember, these are the Doers and the Givers, not the Takers.