Latest news with #CatholicCharitiesofNorthernKansas
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Recovery efforts underway in Grinnell, city sets up disaster relief fund
GRINNELL, Kan. (KSNW) — Recovery is just beginning in Grinnell after an EF-3 tornado struck the town. Community leaders say financial donations will be key. Equity Bank stayed open the day after the tornado tore through the west side of town. The chaos of the disaster left some missing their debit cards or bank information, and withdrawals still needed to be made. On Monday, the City of Grinnell, with the help of its local branch, set up a disaster relief fund. Donations made out to the City of Grinnell can be deposited at any Equity Bank and will be redirected to recovery efforts. With city staff either helping with cleanup or affected themselves, the bank stepped in to fill the gap. 'Grinnell's a small town to start with, right? And we're going to need to focus on rebuilding. If somebody is underinsured, or whatever the need may be, we want to have the funds available to help those people out. It's a small, tight-knit community,' said Levi Getz, president of the western Kansas region of Equity Bank. The relief fund will primarily support rebuilding once debris is cleared. Warnings saved lives in Grinnell tornado, rated an EF-3 Volunteers are helping recover belongings from the wreckage, and debris removal is already well underway. Two days in, much of the smaller debris has been cleared, thanks to more than 1,000 volunteers. As crews sift through what remains of homes, they collect personal items—photos, toys, books—and place them on a lost-and-found table at the Veterans of Foreign Wars building, now a volunteer hub. Volunteer Linda Wolf says the stacks of recovered photos can be an emotional sight for tornado victims. 'Scattered memories,' she called them. 'People come in and find loved ones' pictures that they thought they had lost, and now they still have them,' she said. She says the most difficult things they've recovered so far have been multiple tombstones from Grinnell's cemeteries. Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas Catholic Charities USA has provided a $25,000 grant, which will go directly toward helping the Grinnell community recover and rebuild. Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas suggests these ways to help: Make a financial donation by clicking here. The donations will help families meet specific challenges as they rebuild their lives. Donate items at the Catholic Charities offices in Hays, Salina and Manhattan. Items needed are: Work gloves & heavy-duty trash bags Flashlights & batteries Dust masks Storage tubs and boxes Cleaning supplies Laundry detergent, toilet paper & paper towels Furniture & household essentials Clothing, towels, and hygiene items Visa, Walmart, or gas gift cards Volunteer by checking in at the Grinnell VFW. Victims can seek assistance from Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas by calling 785-625-2644, emailing communications@ or by clicking here and filling out a form. Gove County Community Foundation The foundation has created the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Fund to provide immediate help and long-term support for the tornado victims. Click here to donate. Grinnell VFW The Grinnell VFW is asking for monetary donations to help replace all of their destroyed grave markers. If you are willing to donate, you are asked to send your donation through the mail: Grinnell VFW Aux. #2864C/O Carol Rietcheck, Aux. President6658 W. Road 1505Grinnell, KS 67738Memo: 'Grave markers' Tune into KSN News at 10 for continuing coverage with Payton Steiner. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
National Weather Service rates Grinnell tornado an EF-3
GRINNELL, Kan. (KSNW)—The National Weather Service has rated the tornado that passed through Grinnell on Sunday an EF-3 with an estimated peak wind speed of 140 mph. The NWS uses a rating scale known as the Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF Scale) to assign tornado ratings. This is based on wind speed and damage. After a tornado, the NWS sends teams to inspect the damage and properly assign a rating. The scale ranks tornadoes from an EF-0 all the way to an EF-5. There is even the possibility of an EF-U, which stands for unknown. An EF-3 includes wind gusts from 136 mph to 165 mph. The Grinnell tornado entered the town shortly before 7 p.m. The town took a direct hit, leveling houses, knocking over trees, and flipping vehicles, even campers. The Kansas Department of Transportation even closed a section of Interstate 70 due to downed power poles. Not only did the tornado cause 1,500 power outages, but it also damaged the gas systems in Grinnell. Recovery efforts are still underway. A tornado also impacted Plevna, a town nearly three hours away from Grinnell, on Sunday. Teams are still working to determine the rating. Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas Catholic Charities USA has provided a $25,000 grant, which will go directly toward helping the Grinnell community recover and rebuild. Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas suggests these ways to help: Make a financial donation by clicking here. The donations will help families meet specific challenges as they rebuild their lives. Donate items at the Catholic Charities offices in Hays, Salina and Manhattan. Items needed are: Work gloves & heavy-duty trash bags Flashlights & batteries Dust masks Storage tubs and boxes Cleaning supplies Laundry detergent, toilet paper & paper towels Furniture & household essentials Clothing, towels, and hygiene items Visa, Walmart, or gas gift cards Volunteer by checking in at the Grinnell VFW. Victims can seek assistance from Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas by calling 785-625-2644, emailing communications@ or by clicking here and filling out a form. Gove County Community Foundation The foundation has created the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Fund to provide immediate help and long-term support for the tornado victims. Click here to donate. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Grinnell tornado victims face uncertain future
GRINNELL, Kan. (KSNW) — Recovery efforts continue in Grinnell after a tornado hit the town on Sunday. The destruction has nearly leveled the west side of town. From above, the scope of the destruction becomes clearer. 'You just want to cry. You just want to do anything you can to help them,' volunteer Brian Mason said. The language of devastation is often indecipherable. John Kraus's home was destroyed. While the walls still stand, much of the roof and the second floor are gone. His was one of many damaged or destroyed homes. Some victims have sought shelter with family. Kraus, his wife and two pets are living in a nearby hotel. He described coming out of his basement to discover the interior of his home wrecked and debris from other homes blocks away inside his house. 'I'm just awestruck,' Kraus said. 'I mean, it was over in a matter of a minute. We got down in the basement, it hit … I come upstairs, and once I come upstairs, I knew our house was gone. I knew it.' He is joined by others like Nathan Bollbrocht who is also looking to find an understanding. 'This house right here was my grandparents' house, and all the memories and growing up here as a kid. It's all gone now. So it's just difficult,' he said. The only thing that makes sense for those who lost everything is the effort to rebuild the community they call home. Kraus is awaiting a quote from his insurance appraiser and will likely have to demolish his home and start from scratch. The Gove County Sheriff says it will still be a while before rebuilding begins. Debris won't be cleared out for at least a week, but the sheriff hopes to have the town cemetery prepared for Memorial Day weekend. Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas Catholic Charities USA has provided a $25,000 grant, which will go directly toward helping the Grinnell community recover and rebuild. Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas suggests these ways to help: Make a financial donation by clicking here. The donations will help families meet specific challenges as they rebuild their lives. Donate items at the Catholic Charities offices in Hays, Salina and Manhattan. Items needed are: Work gloves & heavy-duty trash bags Flashlights & batteries Dust masks Storage tubs and boxes Cleaning supplies Laundry detergent, toilet paper & paper towels Furniture & household essentials Clothing, towels, and hygiene items Visa, Walmart, or gas gift cards Volunteer by checking in at the Grinnell VFW. Victims can seek assistance from Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas by calling 785-625-2644, emailing communications@ or by clicking here and filling out a form. Gove County Community Foundation The foundation has created the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Fund to provide immediate help and long-term support for the tornado victims. Click here to donate. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
