What happened to helping Main Street?

Main Street in Millbury Ohio After Tornadoes Struck

On June 5th 2010, my hometown and high school were destroyed by tornados. Six people lost their lives due to the storm. Over 50 homes were completely leveled an many more were severely damaged. Lake High School was hit just 12 hours before graduation was to take place in the auditorium that is now rubble. Lake has been declared a total loss. The community has come together in ways none of us could have expected. Hundreds of volunteers flocked in to help clear debris. Many people started fundraising events and the school has been nominated for the show Extreme Makeover Home Edition.

Today I was sadly enough, not shocked, when after a near three week wait FEMA turned down Ohio Governor Strickland's request for emergency assistance. U.S. Representative Bob Latta says his office received a copy of a letter to Governor Strickland Thursday afternoon. Latta said the letter had just arrived in his office and he read a portion of it that stated:

"The damage is not of severity and magnitude as to be beyond the capabilities of the state, affected local governments and voluntary agencies."

Residents there are outraged at the lack of support. Latta said, "I'm pretty much shocked. I've been to the communities. It was the worst disaster I've ever seen."Many have said that if it were a different country they would have helped immediately. I have to agree. If it had been a bank or a business the government would be signing bills to help them stay afloat. So what happened to helping Main Street? A sad irony, the street hit the worst by these tornados is in fact, Main Street. So many promises have been made but our county is tired of excuses and talk. When are we going to help our fellow citizens? When are we going to see our government take care of problems at home?

NW Ohio is a wonderful community and are being punished because they are responsible tax paying Americans. Ninety Five percent of them kept insurance on their houses and when this happened they came out in hundreds to help each other. Lake High School is in pieces and they are saying the insurance they have for that is not going to cover everything. No one is asking for a handout but this is a disaster and should have been treated as such. If our government refuses to help us we will stand together as one and help ourselves. It's just sad that were we a corrupt corporation or a disaster in another country, money and support would be immediate from our government.

~Elizabeth

Group Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Extreme-Makeover-Home-Edition-Lake-High-School/128925300465181?v=wall

FEMA Story

http://www.wtol.com/global/story.asp?s=12705776

Letter to the Editor

Recently, as everyone knows Lake High School and NW Ohio were ravaged by tornadoes. I have been here in Texas far away from my home. I can't describe the heart wrenching feeling you have with such a profound loss, and I am far from the most effected. My family and friends are safe as are their homes. The people in Lake Township have all lost something, though it is tempered by hope and love. The community is an extended family like I have never seen before. Helping each other without question, without expectation, and with complete selflessness. A common thread within this family is Lake High School. No matter where the alumni are in the world too see it's destruction was devastating. It has been the tie that binds. Shaping us into the people we have become, and from where I sit they are some incredibly amazing people. They have risen to heights I wasn't sure still existed. I am profoundly thankful to find out they still do. I don't want to imagine next years seniors being separated from their school and possibly their friends. I nominated Lake High School for Extreme Makeover Home Edition. They deserve it for reminding all of us how sincere and loving people can be, and for making us all wish we were back at home, not a house, but with our community and school which has without a doubt been a home to all of us.

It has been to me,

Elizabeth

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Extreme-Makeover-Home-Edition-Lake-High-School/128925300465181?v=photos#!/pages/Extreme-Makeover-Home-Edition-Lake-High-School/128925300465181?v=wall

EMHE Lake High School Nomination

Anyone who knows me and plenty of people who don't at this point know that my hometown was hit by several tornados over the weekend. My high school was destroyed as well just 12 hours before the class of 2010 was scheduled to graduate in the auditorium that is now in pieces. Five people died in the storms and more then 50 houses were completely leveled. With countless others damaged. I am not good at resting on my laurels and have felt rather useless here in Texas as my friends and family pick up the pieces of their lives. I had made several videos in the hopes of drawing attention to the situation and it went well, far better then I anticipated the first 2 days I got over 30k viewers. Then, I decided to do this... I'm sending in a nomination for Extreme Makeover Home Edition, Only I'm sending it in for the school. The communities there were devastated and I simply couldn't choose between so many deserving families. Times like this have made me nostalgic for my small town lifestyle. Here is the video I am sending in. I have already made the nomination and have posted a few other videos showing the storm damage, and a memorial for those that lost their lives. I had asked people to write a few things that Lake meant to them and I have to say I was impressed by so many responses. Anyway watch the video, and let's hope Ty does too!