REIDSVILLE, N.C — Clean up efforts continue in Rockingham County after a tornado destroyed homes and property, Sunday. The tornado knocked out power to more than a thousand homes in this area but on Monday electricity returned to some of those homes.
Many of the affected residents were seen cleaning up and picking up after the storm. Family members came together to help Victor Pinnix who lived on a heavily damaged Frank Road.
"TVs, clothes, kids toys kids clothes, couches, everything," recounted Pinnix of the things he lost. The tornado took out the roof of his home and the back wall. It exposed the what used to be the kitchen and a still standing bathtub and toilet where the bathroom was.
"It was a home now half of the stuff is gone now spread out all over the field," added Pinnix. He and his neighbors are trying to move forward form the disaster.
"Crews are here today taking all the furniture out and putting it in storage, then we get lined up to take the house down and hopefully get started with a new one," said a much more relaxed Larry Murphy. When he first spoke to WFMY on the day after the storm, he was visibly traumatized fro the ordeal.
A moving company and a tree removal service showed up to help him out with the cleanup. Many of the victims are staying with nearby family but say they still need help getting lots of things done before things can get back to normal.
The Rockingham County Rescue Mission is the relief point for victims of the tornado.
"We are receiving funds for disaster relief and we are working with the department of social services here in Rockingham County and the Sheriff's Department to access needs that people don't have insurance for," said Torrey Easler, the director of the Mission. They are calling for donations of various items to assist with relief efforts and immediate needs of victims.
"Clothing, personal hygiene items, toiletries, toilet paper, paper towels," Easler said are some of the items they want people to donate. The missions' food pantry is also collecting non-perishable food items and the director emphasized that the food is available to anyone who needs it.