For some of the volunteers, giving back was their way to say thank you to the Mayfield community for being there for them 65 years ago.
The aftermath of the tornado that wiped out Mayfield feels familiar to Steve Smith of Mount Vernon, Illinois.
“Dec. 18, 1957, a tornado hit Mount Vernon, Illinois. It wiped out all the west side of town. I had a four-year-old first cousin who was killed in the storm,” says Steve.
Smith worked in Mayfield for 45 years and says the city is like a second home.
Smith and the rest of the congregation are reliving those with the fresh wound of the tragedy he experienced years ago of one less worry.
“I remember that Christmas quite well. The rest of the family had to live with us for several months until they could find a home,” says Smith.
Even some from Mount Vernon who are too young to remember the damage caused by the 1957 tornado got involved.
“We definitely had to go into our basement at times to protect ourselves from the tornado, but it's never been this severe and to this much this magnitude of seriousness,” says 16-year-old volunteer Jordan Rhoades.
Rhoades said she felt called to assist in recovery efforts.
“It's very humbling to see just how blessed we truly are. I just hope that people are encouraged by this, too. If something happens like this in the future, they can call people and get involved,” says Rhodes.
Smith enjoyed taking a break from running and playing the flute to return a favor.
“This was very special to me because it's a way of giving back to people who helped us so many years ago,” says Smith.
He’s a witness that good karma never expires.
The church family split up to work in four Mayfield areas and completed debris cleanup, roof tarping, and chain saw work.