Everyday Hometown Heroes

An example of how our men and women of the National Guard help out communities everyday, whether at home or abroad...

By MAJ David S. Kolarik
Courtesy of Missouri National Guard

4/3/06, Springfield, MO —The Missouri National Guard recently responded in the effort to aid tornado and severe weather victims after deadly weather canvassed a significant area of the Show-Me state. March proved to be a deadly month for many Missourians as tornado’s and severe thunderstorms plagued much of the state claiming 11 lives while destroying or damaging approximately 3200 homes. These storms proved to be some of the most devastating we’ve seen in Missouri in recent history,” said John Campbell, an Emergency Management Officer with Missouri’s State Emergency Management Agency. Missouri Governor Matt Blunt ordered the Missouri National Guard to activate in the event that they were needed to assist with storm recovery operations.
SFC Les Clancy, a recruiter with the Missouri National Guard and resident of one of the severely effected areas had a five-ton Army National Guard truck placed at his Recruiting storefront in Ozark with a sign that said “Neighbors helping Neighbors, Please help fill my truck for tornado relief.” “I’m not only a member of the Missouri National Guard, I’m also a resident of this community,” said SFC Clancy. Throughout the day local citizens stopped by the storefront and dropped off their donations. Later that afternoon Jim and Trish Schmig of Ozark stopped in and asked SFC Clancy to drive the truck to the adjacent Wal-Mart Super Center where he offered to purchase enough non-perishable items to finish filling the five-ton truck. The Schmig’s and SFC Clancy began shopping and filled approximately 15 shopping carts full with gloves, detergent, bleach, water, coolers, aspirin, lights, and other goods for distribution at approved drop off sites. “You guy’s are doing a great thing, my wife and I truly felt the need to give back to this community and your providing a perfect means to do so,” Schmig said. Several other donations were dropped off prior to SFC Clancy driving the truck to an approved collection site for distribution to the storm victims. “We may not have been activated, yet you can bet as Citizen-Soldiers, we’re always going to be there in support of our communities in a time of crisis,” SFC Clancy said."

Top to bottom:

SFC Les Clancy presents a citizen donating water a National Guard t-shirt for his contribution to the tornado relief effort.




SGT Snuffy Smith posts himself outside the relief drop-off point welcoming donations at the new Ozark, MO recruiting storefront.


Photos by MAJ David S. Kolarik



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