Title:  Renewal with Remembrance


Dan Bruns, Co-Chairman Miracle Park Committee:

The activities that we've got scheduled over 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, Lissa 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 contact:  www.fema.gov

Produced, shot and edited by Mike Mancino