NORTHWOOD, N.D. - Power has been fully restored to all residents here, and the community is preparing to make the transition from cleanup to rebuilding more than a week after a tornado ripped through.
With help from at least 2,000 volunteers, the town mostly should be free of debris by tonight, officials reported Tuesday.
The Aug. 26 twister killed one person and injured 18.
Now, the focus is turning to rebuilding, and people still looking to volunteer should call ahead, said Bonnie Turner, who heads Lutheran Disaster Services and has been coordinating volunteer work in the town.
The numbers to call are (605) 431-8921 or (605) 431-8922.
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"We're at a crossroads," Turner said Tuesday. "As far as the majority of cleanup, I feel we've pretty much conquered that one."
Turner said the job now will be to match volunteers with a particular need, and that is why it is critical people call ahead. The volunteer center will be staffed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting today.
In the past week, officials estimated more than 2,000 truckloads of debris have been hauled away.
Pomeroy's visit
During a tour of the town of about 960 on Tuesday, Rep. Earl Pomeroy, R-N.D., said it's clear the community is moving on and getting back to business.
He toured the town with Mayor Richard Johnson, Grand Forks County Director of Emergency Management Jim Campbell and representatives from the North Dakota Emergency Management Association and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Pomeroy said he believes the town will receive federal public assistance to pay for some tornado damages that aren't covered by insurance, but individual assistance will be harder to get because the damage threshold is higher.
The requests for federal aid still are under consideration, Pomeroy said. It could be one week or several weeks until a decision is made, he said, promising to try to speed the process.
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"We will be pressing for the most positive determination we can get," he said. "If it's in the gray area, we want it covered."
Barb Sturner, FEMA public affairs officer, said residents also should consider taking advantage of state assistance programs such as low interest loans.
Private donations Northwood received will be divided through a third party hired by the City Council, Johnson said. Much of the funding should go to day care centers, he said, and the rest he would divide on a case-by-case basis depending on need.
Volunteer assistance in the week following the tornado added up to roughly 26,000 meals and 7,000 snacks served in Northwood by The Salvation Army and American Red Cross.
City officials said Tuesday that donations of household and personal items no longer are needed. Items still being accepted include building materials such as plywood, two-by-fours, four-by-fours, two-by-sixes, insulation and Sheetrock and tools such as hammers, crowbars, shop vacuums, small tree saws, chain saws, axes, rakes, brooms and wheelbarrows.
Northwood
on the Web
A Web site has been launched with information for residents of Northwood and other people looking for information about how to help the city recover from Sunday's tornado.
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The Web site can be found at www.helpnorthwood.com .
Nekoma fundraiser
Service clubs and other organizations in the Nekoma, N.D., area will hold a fundraising dinner for Northwood Public School beginning 6 p.m. Friday in The Pain Reliever in Nekoma.
On the menu will be fish, pork, corn on the cob and more.
Bison fans can help
North Dakota State University football fans will have the opportunity to donate to the Northwood tornado relief effort at the home opener Saturday against Stephen F. Austin State University.
NDSU alumni and student government volunteers in "Northwood Relief" T-shirts will collect donations before kickoff and during halftime. Donations will go to the Community Foundation of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks and Region. Checks should be made out to the Northwood Relief Fund.
Shoe, sock drive
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Payless Shoe Source is collecting gym shoes, socks and backpacks to donate to Northwood students.
Items can be dropped off at two Grand Forks store locations, in the Columbia Mall or at 2851 32nd Ave. S.
If donors chose to purchase the items at the store, they will get a buy one, get the second half-price deal.
The drive will be held until the need is filled or until the end of September.
Farm aid
Farmers affected by last weekend's storms in the Northwood area who need help with harvest can contact Farm Rescue in Jamestown, N.D.
The number for Farm Rescue is (701) 526-0947.
M ONETARY DONATIONS Northwood
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Relief Fund
Three local organizations will accept monetary donations to help Northwood.
United Way of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks and Area, Alerus Financial and the Community Foundation Grand Forks, East Grand Forks and Region will accept checks, which will be deposited in each organization's separate Northwood Relief Fund account.
Anyone who wants to donate should write the checks to "Northwood Relief Fund" and either visit the organizations in person or send checks to them.
United Way: (701) 775-8661, 1407 S. 24th Ave. S. Suite 400, Grand Forks, ND 58201
Any branch of Alerus Financial: (701) 795-3200
Community Foundation: (701) 746-0668, 620 Demers Ave., Grand Forks, ND 58201.
The Salvation Army
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Financial donations to assist with the recovery process can be earmarked Northwood disaster and sent to the Grand Forks Salvation Army at 1600 University Ave., Grand Forks, ND 58203.
American
Red Cross
Red Cross donations earmarked for Northwood can be sent to the Red River Valley Chapter at 1708 River Road N.W., East Grand Forks, MN 56721.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Reach Ricker at (701) 780-1104, (800) 477-6572, ext. 104, or aricker@gfherald.com .
Send tornado-related announcements to gfhcity@gfherald.com or fax (701) 780-1123.
