My 2 Cents: Revisiting Tornado-Damaged Areas

I received a message today from a viewer Cheryl Page a victim of the Moore Tornado when it was still the "Newcastle tornado."

Cheryl's note said:

"People everywhere keep asking what is needed, you know what we all need right now? Trees! I really miss seeing the landscape like it used to be!"

Cheryl Page, Newcastle

I thought about that all afternoon, until this evening when I decided to drive down to the Tornado Zone by myself and drive through some of the areas that I haven't seen since right after the tornado.

Near the concrete slab where Plaza Towers Elementary stood until 4 weeks ago, people gather quietly to look at the fence that has become a memorial to those who died when the school was demolished by the tornado.

Seven little teddy bears are huddled together, one for each of the students that perished. Sadness hangs over that place the entire neighborhood it felt like at dusk tonight.

And the splintered homes and crumpled cars still litter the landscape, they'll be replaced over the coming months, but the trees, the trees Cheryl lamented losing.. some still wrapped with debris remind me that it takes years to build a neighborhood.

One little boy told me.. I use to climb that tree.. now it's just sticks.

Maybe up the road a bit, a tree drive of some kind might help the healing process.

I'm Kelly Ogle and that's My 2 Cents.