Heartland Cares Tornado Relief effort to help tornado victims

A Heartland Cares Tornado Relief effort, designed to help the American Red Cross and victims of tornadoes that have ripped across Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois over the past two weeks, has been kicked off by KFVS-12 and the Zimmer Radio Group.

Paul Keener, director of marketing at KFVS-12, and John Zimmer, of Zimmer Radio Group, have teamed up to help the Red Cross with its rescue mission.

"We have 15 stations in the Poplar Bluff, Sikeston and Cape areas in Missouri, and the Marion/Carbondale, Illinois area, and all will be helping promote a one-day, fund-raising blitz," said Zimmer. "We wanted to do something to help everybody."

"We have established some drop-off points for people to leave supplies and checks," said Keener. "During the day today, we'll be adding to that list. People can help the Heartland Cares Tornado Relief all day today."

People can also send a donation any time to Heartland Cares Tornado Relief fund, c/o US Bank, P. O. Box 1030, Cape Girardeau , Mo., 63701.

Supplies can be dropped off at the front entrances of Westfield Shoppingtown West Park at Cape Girardeau, and University Mall at Carbondale and at the Red Cross office here, 2430 Myra Drive.

Mary Burton, executive director of the American Red Cross Southeast Missouri Regional Chapter in Cape Girardeau, was in the tornado area at Poplar Bluff Thursday.

Supplies in demand

"We need a number of items," Burton told the Missourian. The list includes flat-head shovels, heavy garden rakes (not leaf rakes), work gloves, traps, flashlights and rolls of heavy plastic.

Four Southeast Missouri counties -- Bollinger, Butler, Carter and Madison -- were among the hardest hit by tornadoes April 24 and April 28.

A total of 262 homes were affected by the storms in Missouri, said Burton. Ninety homes were totally destroyed, 110 had major damages and many had minor damages. One death and several injuries have been reported throughout the four Missouri counties.

In Southern Illinois, where an Illinois Red Cross Chapter is offering assistance, as many as 16 homes were completely demolished over a five-county area. Fifty more homes had major damage and more than 100 had minor damage. Illinois Gov. George Ryan declared Union, Pope, Clay, Saline and Johnson counties as disaster areas. This included the city of Dongola, which suffered heavy damages including one fatality.

The Red Cross stepped into the areas immediately, offering emergency services.

Emergency services include arranging or temporary quarters, food and clothes, said Burton. "We've moved into the recovery phase now, starting to help arrange for home repairs, furnishings and some basic goods," she said.

rowen@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133