What are the Odds?!

Earlier this week and out of the blue, Sara and Jeff received a call from an acquaintance - a woman named Joy, who once taught 4th grade at the same elementary school as Jeff and now works in the same school district as Sara - who asked them a peculiar question.

A few days ago, while Joy and her husband helped friends of theirs search for salvageable belongings under what was left of the friends' home, her husband came across a padlock with a few keys and a class ring locked on it. The class ring, which read "Elmwood High School" on one side and "Class of 1996" on the other, didn't belong to either homeowner so Joy suggested her husband post a picture of the ring on the Washington Illinois Tornado Recovery Facebook page in hopes that word of the ring's discovery would travel back to the owner.

That evening, before her husband posted a picture to Facebook, Joy took one more look at the ring and noticed the name "Jeff" inscribed on one side. At the time she didn't think much of that detail, and went to bed.

That's Jeff, 2nd from the right, Elmwood HS Class of 1996.

During the night, "Jeff Ekena, Elmwood High School Class of 1996" came to Joy in a dream. She woke the following morning knowing exactly who the ring belonged to.

Joy called Jeff and asked that peculiar question: "I know this sounds strange, but did you have an Elmwood High School class of 1996 ring locked onto a padlock?", to which Jeff replied that he did.

Next week the ring - and the padlock - will be returned to its owner. Just one more small discovery for which to be thankful.

And yes, I agree with you - it's weird to store your class ring on a padlock. Apparently that's where Jeff put it for "safe-keeping". I'd mock him if his strategy hadn't worked as well as it did...

Find the Silver Lining

Today I'd like to share just a few of the photos and stories - beyond those belonging to Sara, Jeff, Lily, and Carter - that have come out of Washington, Illinois throughout the last seven days.

Your heart will swell when you read about this man, who found his beloved family dog - previously presumed dead - buried alive beneath the rubble.

And here's a second heart-warming story about a man who found his fiancé's engagement ring buried in the wreckage of their home and then re-proposed to her surrounded by the family members and friends who had been helping them search for their belongings.

On Sunday morning The Today Show ran a touching piece about the Washington High School Panther football team…a team that turned what was expected to be a rebuilding year into a season of victories and earned its first trip to the Illinois State Tournament in 28 years. The tornado struck just days before the Panthers' semi-final game, and as soon as the dust had settled, coaches and players stepped away from football to focus on supporting their community (including Sara and Jeff), even though eight of the team's players lost their own homes. On Saturday, the community said thank you by showing their support for this team of first-class young men.

Operation BBQ Relief began in the wake of the May 2011 tornadoes in Joplin, MO and has grown into a national nonprofit organization that "provides compassion and offers hope and friendship to those whose lives have been affected by natural disasters…through our expertise in cooking and catering barbecue meals and our ability to quickly mobilize our teams into any area where nature disrupts and tears apart the lives of Americans". So far Operation BBQ Relief has served nearly 4,000 well-balanced, delicious, and hot meals to the people of Washington, Illinois.

Those whose homes lay in the path of the tornado lost nearly everything, but now, thanks to social media and the "six degrees of Facebook friends" phenomenon, some of what was lost is finding its way back home. The map below shows how far documents like checks, bank statements, marriage licenses, birth certificates, and even photos traveled on the winds of the tornado before they landed in the hands of strangers. Strangers who then took the time to track down the rightful owners, and return these small but significant pieces of lives lived.

The Chicago Cubs organization collected non-perishable food items and supplies on Thursday and Friday, and then delivered the donations to Peoria, Illinois for local distribution on Friday evening.

The Chicago Bears on Saturday and Sunday wore Washington Panther (the local high school football team) tee-shirts during their pre-game and post-game press conferences. I'm from Wisconsin and bleed Packer green and gold, so although I spend most Sundays rooting against the Bears, just this once I allowed myself to celebrate their organization. (The St. Louis Rams also deserve a shout-out, as they donated one of their full-service, 16-person suites to the Bears so that the Bears could auction it off as a fundraiser for the American Red Cross.)

Speaking of the Red Cross...As many of you know, I am and always will be a Red Crosser. I may no longer work in a Red Cross office, but I volunteer for my local chapter, write for the National American Red Cross blog, and stay connected with the two chapters for which I once worked. I want to take a moment to highlight and thank this incredible organization for the work they've done - and the work they will continue to do - in Washington, Illinois and throughout the Midwest to support those affected by last weekend's storms. (And a special thank you goes out to "my volunteers" - those with whom I once worked - who are already on the ground in Illinois or are on their way to Illinois as you read this.)

November 19th: Red Cross Helping Tornado Victims

November 20th: Volunteers Deliver Hot Meals and Relief Supplies in Midwest

November 21st: Red Cross Delivers Relief, Comfort After Midwest Tornadoes

November 22nd: Red Cross Provides Vital Relief to Wrecked Midwestern Communities

Click here to learn more about how to support the American Red Cross.

There are so many more incredible stories of hope and resilience out of Washington, Illinois - and the other areas of the country affected by this storm - but I simply can't get to all of them here today. I hope these few were enough to brighten your Monday and remind you to, as best you're able, find the silver lining.

The Odds are in Johnny Football's Favor

I've written about and posted pictures of Lily and Carter's Johnny Football shirts, made for them by a staff member at the elementary school where my sister works, here before. (Check out the post about Lily here, and the post about Carter here.) Today I'm going to write about and post pictures of them once again.

Just a few minutes ago, as the four of us were dressing in our Aggie gear in preparation for this afternoon's battle between Texas A&M and LSU, I received a text message that included this picture:

If you look closely and underneath Lily's hair, you can just barely make out the name "Johnny" on her shirt.

I'm so thrilled to report that, while searching through the rubble left behind after the tornado, Sara and Jeff found both Lily and Carter's Johnny Football shirts. I have a feeling Johnny's going to bring home a victory for Lily and Carter this afternoon.

As the Week Comes to a Close...

At the risk of sounding all "woe is me", I'm going to go ahead and admit to being absolutely beat. Mentally, emotionally, and physically (I have tendonitis in my right foot and carpel tunnel flair-ups in both wrists) beat. Because of that, and because it's already after midnight, I'm keeping it short and simple on the blog today.

The good news is that Sara, Jeff, Lily, and Carter have settled into their new home, where if all goes well, they will stay until they build a new home in the spring.

The less-than-good news is that Sara and Jeff's insurance company has not yet been able to even assess the damage to their house or cars because the police are still limiting access to the worst-hit neighborhoods. Our hope is that the claims adjustor assigned to Sara and Jeff's case will be allowed into the neighborhood sooner rather than later so that he/she can begin to iron out all of the insurance-related details associated with this disaster.

In terms of in-kind donations, Sara and Jeff are still in need of a hair dryer and an iron. If you have either of these items and would be willing to donate them, please email me at erin@chasingroots.com.

We are still accepting financial donations here, and gift cards to stores like Lowe's, Target, Walmart, Kohl's, and Kroger can be sent to:

Sara Ekena
PO Box 472
Metamora, IL 61548

Many thanks and blessings to all of you,

Erin

The Most Thankful of Thursdays

First, the obvious. I'm thankful for the lives of my sister, brother-in-law, niece, and nephew. I'm thankful for the donations, of all kinds, that have lifted spirits and helped begin the rebuilding process. And I'm thankful for the prayers, kind words, and unwavering support from family members, friends, and strangers.  

Second, the slightly less obvious. I'm thankful for my Red Cross training and experience, without which I could not have coordinated this relief and recovery effort. I'm thankful for my husband, who picked up the slack at home so that I could spend nearly every waking minute sending emails, making phone calls, and responding to text messages. And I'm thankful for my kiddos, who only complained a little about losing their mama to her computer, and for Hallie, who showed true generosity by boxing up and sending Lily at least a quarter of her toys and stuffed animals.

And third, the significantly less obvious. I'm thankful for my parents, who offered to help me pay for what will be the largest cell phone bill ever accumulated come December 1st. I'm thankful for my Kitchen-Aid stand mixer, which made it possible for me to bake for Hallie's Thanksgiving Feast and Tom's Thanksgiving Luncheon while simultaneously tracking donations. And I'm thankful I already own both right and left wrist braces to help heal my double carpal tunnel flair-up (too much typing, y'all).

Bottom line, today is Thanksgiving. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I won't ever stop giving thanks for the lives that were spared and the good that I've witnessed. 

In other news…

Sara and Jeff are in need of a diaper genie, hair dryer, iron, and a baby monitor. If you have either of these items and would be willing to donate them, please email me at erin@chasingroots.com.

Financial donations can be made here.

Gift cards to stores like Lowe's, Target, Walmart, Kohl's, and Kroger can be sent to:

Sara Ekena

PO Box 472

Metamora, IL 61548

As I sign off for the evening, I'll leave you first with a sweet photo of Little Miss Lily settling into her new home, in her new home. I think she likes it.

And second, with a photo that stopped my heart for just a moment. Do you believe in Miracles? 

The Third Day

Yesterday Sara and Jeff sorted through and cleaned the small items - mostly clothing, but also a few pots and pans - they pulled from the wreckage and picked up the first round of in-kind donations generously contributed by members of their community. Additional in-kind donations, from family members, friends, and even strangers across the country, are scheduled to arrive throughout the remainder of the week.

Tomorrow Sara, Jeff, Lily, and Carter will move from Jeff's cousin's home, where they've slept for the last three nights, to a more long-term living space. Their new home is as well suited to their needs as we could possibly hope for, and thanks to their friends in the Washington community, it's completely stocked and ready for the four of them to move and settle in.

I can't help but give thanks that Lily is too young to fully grasp the gravity of the situation, and I hope that as she grows older she won't remember what it was like to huddle with her parents and baby brother in the basement while a vicious tornado destroyed her home. Even now, her understanding of what's going on around her is limited; when my parents arrived from Madison to help Sara and Jeff, Lily asked, "Why are you here? Oh, is it because my house got broken by a potato?" 

Baby Carter is as happy and laid back as he's always been, which I believe is a true blessing. It's difficult to feel anything but joy when you look at that sweet boy's smiling face.

Though Sara and Jeff's situation is less precarious than it was two days ago, they are still far from standing on solid ground. The road ahead is dauntingly long, the future uncertain. We will continue to raise funds, and to collect gift cards to stores like Lowe's, Target, Walmart, Kohl's, and Kroger so that Sara and Jeff can purchase what they need most, when they need it. Donations can be made here. Gift cards can be mailed to:

Sara Ekena

PO Box 472

Metamora, IL 61548

A few more words of thanks…Thank you to the friend of mine who donated her time and expertise (and who wishes to remain anonymous) to set up the donation website for me. Thank you to my "point people" on the ground in Washington, and to those helping me coordinate efforts in Madison, Chicago, and Ann Arbor. Thank you to all those who've shared Sara and Jeff's story. Thank you to the friend of mine working to track down digital copies of Sara and Jeff's wedding photos and recreate their wedding photo album, and to the friend who offered her professional photography services to help Sara and Jeff begin a new collection of family photos. Thank you to the friend of mine helping me figure out how to move Sara and Jeff from rental cars to permanent vehicles. And thank you to every single person working behind the scenes on a piece of this complicated but absolutely vital relief and recovery effort. 

Ekena Family Updates

Updated at 11:30am on Tuesday, November 19th, 2013.

Let me begin by extending my deepest and most sincere thanks to all of you for your support. The generosity I've witnessed and the love I've felt on Sara and Jeff's behalf has brought me to my knees on more than one occasion.

This morning Sara, Jeff, and my parents ventured back into Sara and Jeff's neighborhood to survey the damage and salvage what they could from the wreckage. While nearly everything was lost, they were able to save their washer and dryer, Sara's piano, and a mattress set, all of which had been tucked away in a corner of the basement. Before calling it a night, they tarped the open areas so that the basement will remain dry (rain is predicted for Wednesday) until the floors can be bulldozed and the area cleared.

While Sara, Jeff, and my parents were working, the Washington Panther High School football team stopped by to lend a hand. At the same time, an NBC Nightly News crew arrived on the scene and interviewed the football team's coach and my brother-in-law, Jeff. The footage aired yesterday evening on the NBC Nightly News and the clip is below if you'd like to take a look. (Jeff is wearing the orange winter hat.)

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

If you can't see the video, click here.

Because of the outpouring of support we received yesterday, we have stopped collecting in-kind donations for the time being. However, if you and I have already communicated about a donation, please go ahead with whatever we discussed. Once Sara and Jeff have the opportunity to go through everything they've already received I will post an updated in-kind donation list here on the blog.

We are still accepting financial donations through our donation page.

We are also accepting gift cards from stores like Lowe's, Wal-Mart, Target, Kohl's, and Kroger so that Sara and Jeff can purchase what they need most, when they need it, and can begin to fill the gaps we can't cover with in-kind donations. You can mail gift cards to:

Sara Ekena
PO Box 472
Metamora, IL 61548

You are still welcome to email me at erin@chasingroots.com with any questions. I'm receiving hundreds of emails a day though, so please forgive me if it takes me a few hours to get back to you.

I'd like to close with a round of slightly more specific words of thanks… Thank you to everyone who donated clothing, baby supplies, toys, and books. Thank you to everyone who contributed financially through our donation website. Thank you to everyone who purchased gift cards. Thank you to those who brought bottled water, snacks, and lunch to Sara, Jeff, and my parents yesterday afternoon. Thank you to all those who helped salvage yesterday, including the members of the football team who spent their afternoon clearing rubble instead of practicing for the semi-finals of the State Tournament. Thank you for your phone calls, texts, emails, and Facebook messages. Thank you for your kind words, and for offering to help in any way possible. Thank you for being there for Sara, Jeff, Lily, and Carter.

On a personal note, I'd also like to thank every single person I've ever worked with at the American Red Cross. You have all, in one way or another, helped me develop the skills, gain the experience, and develop the mental toughness I've needed to help my little sister.