Yes, please let us hear from you if possible.

The news from Joplin is just horrible.

It's terrible. I hope all our Joplin members are okay and able to check in soon.

I heard the train from under pillows in the hall, but my friend and I are OK. Lots of people have no electricity so that may be why there is no response. We heard sirens and saw lights all night. People are going around checking at each house. Part of the city was destroyed; pray for people who lived there. Neighbors are helping with chainsaws and my friend's neighbor put tarps on his roof.

Checking in. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers --
I didn't have any damage in Silver Creek except for small tree limbs. My friend lost his house near Cunningham Park, his garages and his car, plus two cats unaccounted for. He's with me now and for awhile.

Daughter and Gchildren okay, as is their house. She's an RN so she has been busy at hospital for many hours. Everyone is exhausted. Friends checking in and no one was hurt so far.

I haven't seen Joplin yet except for televised pictures. Not looking forward to life for awhile without Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Home Depot, etc. but I'm sure this city will rebuild and come back stronger for the experience.
God bless.
Sunny

Helen and Sunny, thanks for checking in and I'm SO glad y'all and your loved ones are okay. I'm praying for you all over there. I hope your neighbor's kitties show up and are okay.

It's just so tragic.

Sunny, how is the nursery you work at? I'm not familiar enough with Joplin to remember where it was when I was there.

Anyone hear from the folks at the Botany Shop? They seem to be just north of the tornado path. If anyone has any info it would be great to hear. These are great folks.

I'm a great fan of the Botany Shop. Since they are located so much lower than 7th Street, I'm hoping there wasn't any damage. I'll call them tomorrow and let you know.

The nursery gal is Mosswitch. Hope she's okay. I'm pretty sure Ozark Nursery made it without damage. I'm wondering about Albert's on west 7th. Hope they are okay -- such well-grown plants there.

My water pressure is pretty zip and the power has been flaking out all day. Bigger storms tomorrow. Great. Please pray for us all.
Sunny

Hi, checking in. Internet service is spotty but we finally got it back a short time ago. We are south of the devastation and didn't have any damage, we are safe and well.

I have tried to call Gayle at Ozark Nursery all day but no response, hope she is ok. Carol Stark (works there on weekends), is fine, I didn't talk to her personally but I called the Joplin Globe and a co worker said she was there) don't know about her house tho. Got power back this afternoon, but water pressure is pretty low and we are under a boil order. We do have plenty of fresh water thanks to my son-in law who brought us some from Neosho.

Just please, please, stop with the rain! We still have friends missing and unaccounted for. The devastation is awful, we haven't tried to go anywhere near there but we've been watching it on tv and facebook. We are about 10-12 blocks south of the tornado's path.

Sandy

Gayl is ok.

I am so relieved you all are OK.

We have had personal experience with a tornado, but it just took out the pole barn. We still have the metal roofing wrapped around trees.

I can't imagine what all the folks who lived in the path of that evil wind are going through.

The other bad thing is this weather pattern is still here and we are all going to get more bad weather. Let's just pray it isn't severe.

I'm so glad you're ok and could check in. I thought you might be without electricity for a long time. My heart goes out to those of you that are still waiting to hear from family or friends. I can't imagine. I haven't heard them say on the news how many people are still missing.
I believe Bonnie (jspeachyn5) lives in Joplin too. She mentions in an intro post that she has five grown children. Hope they're all ok.
Is there anyone else that posts here that lives in Joplin?

Thanks for checking in everyone else. I don't really have the words. What happened is just so awful. I met all of Gayle's kitties while I was at the nursery and hope they're okay too.

I'm sure they are fine, the tornado was way south of the nursery.

click to enlarge go to album

Good to get back to "normal" and to be reading Ozark forum messages again. Sorry I dropped the ball on calling Botany Shop, but my days are now a blur, since Larry is staying with me and we are trying to get his loss business done. I kid him that he is the Poster Boy of the Joplin Tornado -- he's the "Larry" interviewed on TV nationally so many times that so many searched for - the flag in his yard fellow.

It's good to know that my friends here are okay. Joplin is so full of lovingkindness now-- everyone helping everyone -- big tents around with people cooking hot dogs & hamburgers -- donations of food, water, clothing, cleaning items, toiletries, etc. Police and military presences are so kind and understanding. Couldn't be prouder of my town. And country.

Thank God for Animal Rescue. They were K-9 unit out of Effingham, Illinois and have returned to Larry's house to look for his two cats every day. Yesterday we got a call from his neighbor who said ARescue had spotted one of them in a window of Larry's house. We rushed over and I have photos of Larry crawling over the debris to get her and it was my favorite, Oreo, his old Bengal. Lord, what a day.
Keep the faith -- Joplin will be better for this, eventually.
Sunny

Police officer from Carthage here. I was working Sunday night, had just came on duty at 6PM. Every available person from our department immediately went in to assist our "neighbors to the west". From the initial horrors & absolute chaos that we encountered to now, the 5th day since the event, has been a blur. Joplin WILL get back on their feet and rebuild. The outpouring of supplies & support from near and far is really overwhelming to me.

Having said that, as a cop I know that there's a bad element that doesn't see the needs of others, they only see a possible personal gain from this tragedy. I've seen it firsthand already during these past several days. So for those of you who are in the damaged areas, watch your property and your neighborhood. If something doesn't look right, such as people that you don't recognize loading up someone's belongings from damaged/destroyed properties, REPORT it. Joplin PD's ph # is 417-623-3131, or 911 would be applicable in this situation as well.

I wish a big dose of "what goes around comes around" to those that are so cold hearted as to loot other peoples' property (or picket) after a tragedy like this. I wouldn't want someone to get killed but I do think they deserve to have their home blown away.

Amen, Christie

I totally agree, Christie!