BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—In the aftermath of a devastating tornado that tore through Bucyrus just a week ago, the spirit of resilience and unity in the community has emerged as a beacon of hope. The remnants of the EF1 confirmed tornado, which wreaked havoc in downtown Bucyrus by uprooting trees, destroying street lights and roofs, and causing extensive damage to local businesses, are still visible.
However, the determination to rebuild and support one another is far more prominent.
Saga Communications (Home of WBCO/WQEL Radio and Crawford County Now), just one of the businesses and homes impacted by the tornado, faced a temporary outage but quickly restored power and communications within three hours, thanks to the swift response of the General Manager Kim Jenney.
Mayor Bruce Truka expressed gratitude to the city’s employees, including the Police Department, Fire Department, and other essential services, for their dedication to cleaning up the aftermath of the storm.
“Citizens of Bucyrus wasted no time in coming together to help with the cleanup efforts.” Truka said.
When Bucyrus City Council President Kurt Fankhauser, owner of Wave Linc Communications, realized that the phone lines for the Police and Sheriff’s departments were down, he took his own voice-over IP phones to the police department, providing them with a working phone system.
Other council members, along with local churches and organizations like the Red Cross, offered assistance and support to those affected. The Red Cross set up a staging area at the Bucyrus Nazarene Church.
Pastor Dan Rebon of The Father’s Heart Healing Center on Woodlawn Ave. told Crawford County Now:
“We personally served over 125 meals. Many new faces. Two of our crew went out to the workers with meals and bottled water. I personally saw neighbors helping neighbors with comfort and clean up.” Pastor Rebon said.
Bucyrus Safety Service Director Tommy Starner reflected on the overwhelming response from the community, emphasizing the spirit of solidarity and collaboration that emerged in the face of adversity:
“These last couple of days have been a blur. We have had so much going on in the city I haven’t had time to catch my breath.
The evening of the tornado, I was uptown most of the evening, and I saw members of the community helping other members clean up.
I saw a younger girl picking up debris in the Art Park.
Lots of the city workers came in to help with the clean and to get the city back up and running. We still don’t know the extent of the damage on some of the buildings like the Old Swan Rubber Building. Going forward we are going to have to keep up with cleaning the debris and all the rubbish.” Starner said.
Bucyrus Police Captain Tom Walker, an expected voice of calm in trying times around the community, said this:
“Right after the tornado went through, I watched so many people come out to help their fellow citizens! I would estimate over 20 people who helped in the Warren and Sandusky area. It was heartwarming to see everyone working together.
As I checked on people around town, there were numerous neighbors helping each other clean up with chainsaws and rakes. I checked in on a couple of local stores, and was so encouraged by how everyone was working as a team.
Residents were providing water and food to first responders, but most of us were so busy we had little time to enjoy them. I would add that we truly appreciated those who were concerned about us in the face of all the devastation around our community. Thank you.
The following morning, I drove through neighborhoods and spoke with groups of people who were preparing to help their neighbors. Many folks had a good supply of coffee and doughnuts, and I received plenty of offers to partake!
Despite all the division in our country, it’s inspiring to watch our community band together! Other cities could learn a thing or two from our little town. We’re blessed to have such a caring community!
As the city of Bucyrus continues to recover and rebuild, the acts of kindness and unity displayed by its residents serve as a testament to the resilience and compassion that define the community.
Amidst the challenges and devastation, the unwavering spirit of Bucyrus shines through, inspiring neighboring cities and reminding us of the power of coming together in times of need.” Captain Walker said.
Bucyrus resident Jennifer Allonas, who spearheaded the campaign that will open the Aumiller Park Pool this summer, sprung into action to recruit volunteers to clean up the park. Oberlanders Tree Service donated their time and equipment to cut up the downed trees into manageable debris for volunteers to clean up.
Allonas thanked students from Pioneer who came to the park to help with the cleanup, Ohio Mutual Insurance, Bucyrus City Auditor Kali Lewis and everyone else that came out to help.
Bucyrus Safety Service Director Tommy Starner supplied water and pizza for the volunteers.
Without doubt, there were many more instances of neighbors helping neighbors. If you or someone you know performed an act of service that you’d like to share, please comment below.
