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Renewal with Remembrance
Dan Bruns The activities that we've got scheduled over
Co-Chairman Miracle Park Committee: the Memorial Day weekend consist of today
Sunday we're going have a picnic in the park
community wide picnic. We also have a
dedication ceremony for the playground
equipment we also have a presentation for the
volunteers we're gong to do a tree and a
plaque for all the volunteers that came in and
helped whether it was for of the building of the
playground or cleanup after the tornado or ah
a or just assistance that we received in the
last twelve months. On Monday we got
activists scheduled at our emergency
management services building or EMS
building we've got local meteorologist coming
in we've also got a lot of pictures and videos
of the storm before during and after that
people can look at. I think the community of
Parkersburg is healing very well we in a lot of
ways we still feel like were behind but we're
constantly getting comments from people
what tremendous progress we've made over
the last twelve months um emotionally I think
people are still little bit fragile
but getting better.
Valerie Thorne, Miracle Park Committee: So as we were putting this event together we
need to have as a group we said we need to
have some recognition for all the volunteers
and not just um something that our kids and
grandkids will not we need them to
understand how much we appreciated and
how valuable our volunteers have been. We
have a tree that's planted we have a rock
that's waiting for the installation of this plaque
and I want to read it to you. Placed May
twenty fifth two thousand nine to honor the
countless volunteers who came in our time of
greatest need following the EF5 Parkersburg
tornado of May twenty fifth two thousand eight
thank you.
Ed Thomas, Football Coach: When you talk about what a miracle is all you
have to do is look down here behind us at this
facility all you have to do is drive up Highway
fifty seven and look at the East and the West
because I think many of us remember what it
looked like on that Sunday May twenty fifth
last year. I'm very thankful to be from this
community and I'm convinced that we will be a
better town and a better school district for
what we went through this
past year thank you.
Mike Parker, Federal Coordinating Officer: During this weekend of remembrance and
renewal it's a good time to take time and give
thanks for the distance we've come together.
Although the losses were great this
community survived pull together and has
come back even stronger. We see the delight
in children’s eyes as they are out playing in
this Miracle Park. We celebrate the spirit of
Iowans working together to achieve this gift of
love from your community for your children.
We also recognize how much remains to be
done here and with that we're establishing the
Iowa recovery center which will be based out
of Cedar Rapids and Urbandale. It'll be here
for another two years to make sure that what
we are what we worked on together it gets
close up properly and gets taken care of the
right way. I'd like to say that we in the FEMA
family are privileged to have known you to
work with you to work together with you.
Thanks for your hard work and dedication
you're an outstanding example of a
community and an outstanding example for all
Americans, thank you.
Pastor: And Father on this day as we look back we
know that there are those who are not with us.
Those who lost their lives in the storm or died
very soon after because of the injuries
sustained. So today as we rejoice of blessings
that have been poured out. As we remember
grace that has been offered we also pause to
remember those who lost their lives. Norman
Beuthine, Leasa Bleeker, Bertha Eckhoff,
Charles Horan, Ruth Knock, Shirley Luhring,
Ray Meyocks, Richard Mulder and his wife
Ethel Mulder.
Singer: Don't forget the day that we cried, always
remember those who lost their lives.
For more information visit www.FEMA.gov