Community Pulls Together
(Continued from Page B 6)
Nobody had taken full charge of
the chaotic scene.
Donations of food were pour
ing in, but she wondered, with
out electricity, water or refriger
ation, how to begin.
Yoder worked by her wits.
Her obvious capabilities soon
found others gravitating to her
for guidance.
By 7:30 p.m. her persever
ance had paid off and Foxwell
also reached the site. She
pitched her lot with that of
Yoder.
Down the hall at Red Cross
headquarters the victims’ imme
diate needs of food, shelter, med
ical and family services were
being met.
Unlike the high school which
took a severe hit on its roof, the
primary school sustained no
damage. An old grand-stand
that the Work Progress
Administration had built in
1938 lay in pieces near the
twisted fence around the athlet
ic field. Some thought there was
no other like it left in the state of
Pennsylvania.
“We had to slice meat for
sandwiches and there were no
condiments and no lights except
the emergency lights in the ele
mentary school. It was a mess,”
reported Yoder.
‘We were farming dirty dish
es out to people in their homes
because there was no water,”
reported Foxwell. “We couldn’t
see in the (cafeteria) kitchen at
night,” she said.
Besides that, with the help of
their kids, the bleary-eyed
women attempted to mop the
large floor before leaving the
scene late on Monday.
Then, because it posed a
health risk the women were told
by the Red Cross that privately
prepared food donations were
not to be accepted.
“We did the best we could
with what we had,” aid Foxwell
with pride.
“We had not been trained in
public food safety and food tem
peratures "Yoder, whose home is
spanking clean, said.
With passing hours, donated
generators and refrigerated
trucks arrived. Literally tons of
ice disappeared with unbeliev
able speed, along with bottled
water.
The two unsuspecting moms
accepted their lot as food co
managers and directed the
workers, one being the reliable
Thelma Lanteigne from
Grantsville, Md.
“It was kind of like wg read
each other’s mind,” they
observed about how well they
worked together.
Yoder’s church, however,
agreed to furnish one meal each
day since 700-1,000 meals were
always needed.
And then came Tuesday with
its muggy warmth and ominous
tinges across the sky.
Weather forecasters warned
that conditions were ideal for
tornadoes to develop that
evening in Somerset County,
As the day lengthened, event
tension increased. The citizenry,
after experiencing the first dev
astating blow, were taking the
watch very seriously, although
(Turn lo Pag* B 8)
ping gv ig during .
aster Is demanding work. From left, volunteer Tim Foxwell,
Sandy Bodes, Sallsbury-Elk Lick maintenance supervisor,
and Clyde Stein, staff member, work together.
Farmii
irdi.,, jMn# 27, 1998-B7