I’m sure there are thousands of local heroes in Joplin Missouri, pulling together to help one another through their current nightmare. That’s why I’m honored to have spoken to an impressive young man whose family is directly enhancing the lives of their fellow tornado victims.
Stephen Blum, a student at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville and a resident of Joplin, called me from the epicenter of disaster to deliver the local lowdown. Stephen described the damage as being so devastating, he couldn’t see landmarks he grew up around. The streets were blanketed by debris, while trees were ferociously snapped to their stubby roots like twigs. Furthermore, bushes were uprooted and the phone lines were down. The most haunting image Stephen shared with me was describing Joplin as a place that “looked like pictures of Hiroshima after the Atomic bomb hit it.”
On the more positive front, Stephen Blum and his family are spearheading their town’s food-related relief efforts. Stephen’s parents, David and Cindy Blum, are prominent restaurateurs in Joplin who would want nothing more than to help the residents of the town they love. Thus, early on Monday May 24, Stephen’s father David decided to do something radically beautiful:
to turn his family’s Red Onion Cafe into a food bank for tornado victims.
Luckily for Joplin, the Blums’ embarked on their ‘mission to feed’ immediately. David Blum reassigned all of his restaurant’s delivery vans to deliver food to all of the major shelters, including The Red Cross. With the distribution method set, the Blums’ corralled a slew of tireless volunteers to join them to start making sandwiches. Minute after minute and hour after hour, the Blums’ and their volunteers stayed focused on making 1,200 much-needed sandwiches for their troubled community. In fact, at this very moment, the Blums’ are probably elbow deep in making sandwiches, and I doubt they’ll stop working until every one of their fellow residents in need is fed.
Thus, I’d like to thank the Blums and their volunteers for their tireless efforts. Helping one American is like helping all Americans, so we are all grateful.
I would also like to encourage everyone to join me in donating what you can to help our fellow Americans in need. Remember, the other side of tragedy is triumph, and together we will succeed.
Thank you for lending me your eyes, and I will continue to send out more updates as I get them.
