COVINGTON, Tenn. — Many in Tipton County are still reeling from the destruction caused by the March 31 tornado. The Tipton County Sheriff’s office confirms the storm left one dead and 28 others injured.
However, out of the devastation comes a ray of hope and a community hoping to recover and rebuild.
“We always just rally together,” said Ashley Ray, who was a teacher at Crestview Elementary
The school was one of the buildings destroyed by the tornado that ripped through Covington.
On Sunday, she returned to the building she and many other teachers considered a second home — the same school her daughter attended years ago.
“I have been here 16 years, and this is unprecedented for me,” said Ray, “It hasn’t really set in until I came to pick up the debris and actually see what’s going on.”
It is why she and several others are rolling up their sleeves and beginning the lengthy rebuilding process for the hundreds of students who went to both Crestview Elementary and Middle School.
“I know it will probably take a while, but we’ll be back stronger cause of our community,” said Ray.
Ray and her daughter Britt were among more than 350 volunteers who were cleaning up on the Sunday following the tornado. Efforts spanned more than a dozen locations across Covington.
George Marinsko was also one of the volunteers who helped out at the Crestview site, hoping to help the schools that have done so much for his family.
“My kids went to this elementary school and the middle school over here,” said Marsinko, “The power of the storm is amazing, but the first thing we have is life safety. We want to make sure people are ok.”
Cobb Parr Park is serving as home base for recovery and relief efforts. Volunteers continue to load up and disperse the mountain of donations coming into the city for those affected by the tornado.
“In a couple days to do what we’ve done is simply amazing,” said Jan Hensley, Mayor of Covington, “We’re still trying to meet the needs. If you have needs, we need to know. If your neighbors are needing something, please contact us so we can know, get up to the park and let us know, and we’ll continue to help.”
One of the resources hit hardest by Friday’s weather was Covington’s electrical grid.
Hensley tells ABC24 around one third of the city was impacted, and as of Sunday April 2, 200 Covington Electric customers still are without power. City leaders hope to restore those remaining accounts by Friday.