A year after tornado, progress made but work remains

Mar. 29—A year after a tornado unleashed its fury in Sullivan, signs of recovery continue.

In an area that once served as a massive debris field, several homes have been rebuilt, with others in various stages of construction.

On March 13, a contractor could be seen installing a roof on one residence, while at a nearby home, friends gathered for a game of bunco.

But much remains to be done. Many lots are devoid of housing, and several individuals still wait for homes to be rebuilt, repairs to be made or furnishings and appliances that make a house a home.

In some areas, debris must still be cleaned and infrastructure restored.

The March 31, 2023 tornado that leveled a portion of this community's south side on a Friday night claimed three lives, injured others and damaged or destroyed 200 structures, 150 of which were in city limits.

The storm which struck was classified as an EF-3 tornado spawned by a super cell that formed in southeastern Illinois and tracked northeast through Crawford County in Illinois, then into Sullivan County in Indiana. The tornado lifted off the ground east of Sullivan, but dropped again in Owen County. Three people were killed near Robinson, Illinois, before the storm hit Sullivan. Two more died later in McCormick's Creek State Park near Spencer.

EF-3 tornadoes range in wind speed from 136 to 165 miles per hour.

In Sullivan, where top winds were estimated in the 160 mph range, damages were estimated at $8 million.

The community "is slowly but surely coming back to life," said Sullivan Mayor J.D. Wilson, who was the city's public works director under former Mayor Clint Lamb when disaster spiraled through the small community.

Much progress has been made, "but we have a long way to go."

He credited efforts of volunteers and the Sullivan County Long Term Tornado Recovery Coalition to help those needing assistance. He described it as a "special group ... We are so thankful."

Everyone who experienced the tornado in some way is still affected by it, Wilson said. "We'll never forget it."

A "United in Remembrance" ceremony is scheduled Sunday in the city park, Wilson said. It will provide an opportunity to show thanks for progress made, yet also a time to remember those who were lost and everyone whose lives were forever changed.

A former mayor remembers

In the days and weeks after the tornado, former Sullivan mayor Clint Lamb helped lead and coordinate the immediate response while fully recognizing recovery would be a long-term process.

"It was such a tragic event. You saw people you cared for, people you loved, at their most vulnerable time," some dealing with loss of life, others losing everything they owned, Lamb said.

Initially, there was the tremendous outpouring of support and a community unified in its efforts to recover.

But, as time went on, recovery for some was much quicker than recovery for others.

Some had insurance, others had none.

Those who needed assistance at times became frustrated by how long it was taking to get that help.

He praised the work of the Long Term Recovery Coalition, which has faced some harsh, unfair criticism over its efforts, Lamb said.

Lamb also witnessed bipartisan cooperation from state and federal agencies that provided critical assistance and resources in the community's recovery.

On the one-year anniversary, from Lamb's perspective, "We are way ahead of the curve." While long term recovery doesn't happen as quickly as people would hope, "I think we're doing pretty darn good."

Progress can be seen with homes already erected or under construction. He pointed to a rebuilt Our Father's Arms, a food pantry destroyed last year, as well as a new VFW taking shape.

"It definitely warms your heart" to see the construction and revitalization taking shape, said Lamb, who now works for Accelerate Indiana Municipalities as a field services manager.

'Still people that need our help'

The Sullivan County Long-Term Recovery Coalition was formed to provide disaster recovery services to individuals and families affected by the tornado.

It is a sponsored program of the Wabash Valley Community Foundation, which received $1.2 million in donations from donors wanting to help the beleaguered community. Donors reached out from 32 states.

"We're helping those with the greatest unmet needs," said Harmony Walsh, the foundation's community engagement officer for Sullivan County.

Troy Orwig, director of the Long-Term Recovery Coalition since December, said that overall, "I think there's been a great deal accomplished ... but we're still not satisfied. There are still people that need our help."

Of 162 initial cases, 131 have been closed and 31 remain open. Some individuals were covered by insurance and had sufficient resources, such as federal assistance, to meet their needs. (Cases could re-open if needs arise related to the tornado).

In some situations, people lost everything, had no insurance and no funds to tap into. "They didn't have anything," Orwig said.

For all cases, a financial review involving a case manager occurs.

The coalition has assisted with 22 homes, including 14 total rebuilds. As of late March, five homes were occupied or near completion; three homes had been purchased; and four were damaged/being repaired.

In some cases, Mennonites Disaster Services is donating labor to build the home, and the Help Sullivan Recover fund is used to buy materials.

Mennonites Disaster Services and Catholic Charities Disaster Response are among the groups assisting the effort through the coalition's participation in VOAD, or Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.

VOAD is a national coalition of organizations that respond to recovery needs in times of disaster.

Of the $1.2 million initially donated to the Help Sullivan Recover Fund, $183,122 has been spent and another $378,000 is committed.

The coalition also uses an "unmet needs table," in which pledges are sought from churches, organizations or businesses to donate materials or labor or funds to meet someone's needs. A case manager presents the anonymous individual's or family's need.

By using the unmet needs table and coordinating donations of labor/materials/funds, it extends the Help Sullivan Recover fund and the coalition's ability to serve even more of those in need, Orwig said.

So far, 25 individuals/families have gone through the unmet needs table.

Not everyone goes through the unmet needs table. For smaller, immediate needs, the executive committee may vote to release funding.

"We have had survivors just need a mattress or stove, and those items were housed in the donation warehouse, so they were given the items without going to unmet needs," Walsh said.

The coalition's primary mission is to ensure those residents affected by the storm are able to return to safe, secure sanitary housing. It does not assist businesses or with outbuildings.

"It's challenging because you'd always like for (the process) to go more quickly. But there are so many things you have to do to make sure that it's done properly and correctly," Orwig said.

The VOAD model follows guidelines required by the IRS to ensure that donor funds are spent appropriately. The coalition acknowledges the process takes a long time to get financial resources to those in need.

Another challenge is that "you're dealing with a very emotional issue and people who have gone through a tragedy unlike anything," Orwig said.

People don't always understand why things can't be done more quickly. Being down to 31 cases is progress, but "we're not going to be completely satisfied ... until we've closed the last case," he said.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at 812-231-4235 or at sue.loughlin@tribstar.com. Follow Sue on X at @TribStarSue.