MARYSVILLE — A week ago, residents from around Marysville gathered at New Washington Fire Department Station 2 to get information on how they could begin rebuilding their homes and their lives.

Since that meeting, a flood of volunteers have come through the small, northern Clark County town to help its residents. Despite the help, Joe Glenn, who lives outside the center of town, said the focus has remained in more populated areas.

“I think a lot of the focus has been in the main two little city areas,” he said referring to Marysville and Henryville.

Glenn’s home is less than a mile down Marysville-Nabb Road from the fire station, in a more rural portion of the town, and it was destroyed in the tornado. Luckily, he was not at home when the storm hit.

As Glenn stood on what was left of his home Wednesday afternoon, he pointed out the only two walls — one has since been removed — that remained after the tornadoes rolled through. And a few hundred feet away his barn was still standing, but was missing its roof and loft.

He said that he left 20 or 30 minutes before the tornado hit to pick up fertilizer.

“When I got to Corydon, I heard the town of Marysville had been wiped out, and I thought, that’s up there,” Glenn said, referring to the area of the town near the post office.

But he got a call from his neighbor who told him, “everything you own is gone.”

Like many others, Glenn, who has lived in the area for eight years, admitted he didn’t realize how many people have a Marysville address.

“Marysville is a wide area,” he said. “I had no idea they were in the Marysville address.”

But Glenn was quick to add the outpouring of support from the community has been tremendous.

“As far as the people in the community helping out, I think it’s been really good,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of help here.”



WORKING THE LAND

Glenn said since the tornado hit, the main priority has been to get back to his land. Debris piles still remain, but within a week he has been able to repair his fence and volunteers have cleared the 12-acre plot so he can bring his five horses back home.

Help was evident Wednesday, as his friends Dudley McAdams and Paul Wise were helping work on Glenn’s barn and fencing. Wise said he has seen a great amount of support from volunteers, adding United Way had about 150 people in the fields surrounding Marysville last weekend helping with the cleanup.

“We’d see waves of people coming in,” he said. “They sorted every bit of junk in that yard,” he said, referring to a neighbor’s home. “Most of that was out in this field ... they came through and sorted that mess and cleaned it up. It was amazing to me. You can see a huge difference. It ain’t pretty, but you can see [a difference] from what it’s been.”

And as far as the area being overlooked to an extent Wise said, “that’s not been the case here.”

Glenn added that people at the fire house have been great and have fed those in the area lunch and dinner each day, along with the volunteers that have come to assist with the cleanup.

“I haven’t ate that good since I’ve [lived] here,” he said. “I hate to see them go away.”



TOUGH COMMUTE

Until he is able relocate back to his farm, Glenn has been staying with family in Corydon and driving back-and-forth about 100 miles each day.

“It’s been hectic,” he said.

Glenn added he is hoping to get a 26-foot trailer from another friend.

“We’re going to try and get it hooked up so I have a place to come out here, lay down and rest and in the evenings I’m not spending two hours driving back-and-forth and I can actually get something done here,” he said. “My biggest help is actually getting myself back here.”

He is also hoping to return soon for another reason.

“My biggest fear is ... when they lift that curfew, what’s going to happen if I’m not here?” Glenn asked. “Is the patrol going to stop after three or four weeks with people still left here with no home to live in?”

Also, he added that he doesn’t know how long the fire house is going to keep providing aid.

Clark County Commissioner Les Young said a curfew that has been in effect for the areas affected by the tornadoes will be in place at least until Monday, when the situation will be re-evaluated.

But even if the curfew is lifted, Clark County Sheriff Danny Rodden said patrols will remain consistent.

“Our concern is going to be manpower and how to man it,” he said. “I think we’ll be there for the next month or so at least with a heightened presence. I think we’ll still need that focus.”

During the informational meeting last week, several local officials, including Rodden, assured Marysville residents that once the aid organizations leave, those in the affected areas will not be without support. Washington Township Trustee Tyler York said he and Oregon Township Trustee Bill Bussey are available if residents need any assistance.

“Both of us are not going to let you be forgotten,” York said last week. “If you feel like there is something that is not being handled correctly, or feel like there is something you do not have, let me know.”