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Community Corner

Affton Residents Help With Tornado Clean-Up

Service International works to restore the communities hit hard by the storm.

Affton got lucky on . Now some Afftonites like Chris Rollins are trying to pay that good fortune forward by giving their time and money to help the victims of the tornado that devastated next door Sunset Hills.

After watching the coverage of the damage, Rollins, a 54-year-old truck driver, felt restless. Knowing he had to do something, he headed over to offer his services.

"I volunteered with Service International," said Rollins, who grew up near Grant’s Farm. "It was just something I wanted to do."

"It was a lot of heavy work," he said. "I’m used to driving a truck and unloading it, but I was doing a lot of heavy lifting and moving things. It made you feel good to be able to help."

“You have to wear a colored t-shirt that identifies you as a volunteer, to protect the homes from looters,” Rollins said.

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Prospective volunteers from Affton and around St. Louis were able to get the orange shirts from Service International by checking in at a table set up in Watson Trails Park. Rollins worked last Thursday, but there have been volunteer opportunities every day since the storm.

Sunset Hills residents said they were appreciative of the generosity their neighbors such as Rollins have shown.

"You know how when an animal dies the birds start swarming around?" said Gary Miller, who lives near the border of Sunset Hills and Crestwood. "That’s what it felt like right after it happened, people were driving by, giving out cards—roofers, contractors, clean-up companies. But then there were these people in orange T-shirts who just volunteered to help."

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Service International, founded by Jeff Perry, pastor of St. Louis Family Church in Chesterfield, has been helping in the clean-up efforts since the storm.

"It’s a wonderful organization," said Miller. "I met Trey Perry, the director. He came down our street, and he told us all about the organization and that they were there to help us."

On Saturday the town hall for the tornado victims that raised more than $7,400.

A tornado assistance fund was started to help families with major damage. Checks should be made out to the City of Sunset Hills-TAF, 3939 S. Lindbergh Blvd, Sunset Hills, MO 63127. Call 314-849-3400 for additional information.

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