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A year laterBy Holly Martin Just a year ago, I wrote this column as I have never written a column before. I had spent the day driving through Greensburg, Kan.--or what was left of it. I was moved, to say the least. I had never seen destruction like that left by the tornado that hit the rural farming town and surrounding areas. I heard stories that brought me to tears as I tried to recount them on this page. The words just flowed and I hoped that you would be able to feel a little of the emotion I had experienced that day. Living less than 30 miles from the tornado's path, I felt connected to the story. But still, I was removed from what the survivors of the tornado were going through. On the one-year anniversary of the storm, the memories are still very vivid. I sorted through pictures and found myself replaying the scene in my mind. It was something that I hope to never see again. But, with those memories of destruction were newer memories of the town and the areas that were hardest hit by the storm. As the year has progressed, so has the town. Old, destroyed structures were hauled away and new ones were put in their place. Some are temporary; some are permanent. Plans have been made. And slowly, the community is making progress. And while so much destruction was concentrated in Greensburg, the storms left a path of chaos miles long. Most of that path was through rural areas--through farms and ranches. Irrigation systems were toppled and rebuilt. Field after field had to be walked, step by step, to remove debris. Miles of fences were replaced. Slowly the farmers and ranchers recovered from the storm. This week, you will read an update on some of the agriculture producers who were featured last year. Their facilities were destroyed, but not their spirit. They have rebuilt and are optimistic about the future. The same is true of the John Deere dealership where millions of dollars worth of equipment and buildings were destroyed. They have broken ground and have an exciting new plan for a progressive "green" facility that will be a model for the future. All of the progress is evidence of what wasn't destroyed by the tornado one year ago. The tornado took buildings and possessions but it couldn't destroy the community's spirit. They told me they would rebuild and they have. And in the process, they've strengthened that spirit beyond what anyone thought possible. Holly Martin can be reached by phone at 1-800-452-7171 ext. 1806 or e-mail at hmartin@hpj.com. 5/12/08 Date: 5/7/08
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