As severe weather struck parts of Blount and Marshall counties Sept. 22, an F-1 tornado with winds up to 100 mph hit Albertville, causing roof and water damage to several homes. In its 3.2-mile path, the storm’s winds uprooted and downed an estimated 200 trees, some nearly 3 feet in diameter.
Help came within a few days as the Marshall Baptist Association disaster relief chain saw team began working to clear trees from properties around town. To the surprise of many homeowners, men age 55 to 85 from about five Marshall Association churches have volunteered nearly eight hours of work each day at the various sites.
“[The homeowners] honestly don’t believe that we do it as a ministry,” said Wendell Darnell, disaster relief team coordinator for Marshall Association and member of First Baptist Church, Boaz. “We enjoy the expressions (of homeowners) and many times, we get to minister to lost people through this, and that’s the most important thing.”
The Marshall Association disaster relief team also plans to financially help a family forced to move when its rental home was flooded. At press time, the chain saw team was scheduled to finish the work in Albertville by Oct. 3. (TAB)
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