Clinton School student and Joplin, Mo., native Kate Raum returned to her hometown last week with sevens fellow Clinton School students to volunteer in the cleanup efforts in the aftermath of the devastating tornado that hit the city earlier this summer.
The crew of Clinton School students joined other volunteers to assist in the demolition of one of the many homes destroyed by tornado
They were provided gloves, hard hats, masks, hammers and crowbars to use in the effort. Some students hauled debris while others helped knock things down. They worked in heat that reached 106 degrees before calling it a day mid-afternoon.
While some of the houses still remained when they finished, Raum said the students were proud of the work they completed.
“We left, disappointed that we didn’t complete our task, but satisfied by what we were able to accomplish,” she wrote in an email. “It was a great feeling to see the efforts of our labor there on the curb: massive piles of debris ready to be picked up by the city.”
Along with Raum, those who participated include:
Anna Strong
Heather Malveaux
Julie Meyer
Sarah Leer
Judy Watts
Erin O’Leary
Burt Hicks
“I’m sincerely grateful to everyone who came,” Raum said. “It was hard, hot work. It meant so much to me that my service-minded classmates, many of whom have lived through or volunteered for other natural disasters (i.e. Katrina), were willing to give up a summer weekend at the drop of a hat to help my community.”
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