• The May 10 tornadoes destroyed parts of our communities six months ago. Some of the worst damage could be found in Woodville.
• Woodville neighbors came together Saturday for a “Community Information Day.”
• Watch the video to learn how the event served as a form of unifying aid for neighbors in this neighborhood.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

It’s been about six months since a tornado tore through Woodville, leaving neighbors here with a long road to recovery. I’m Kenya Cardonne, your Southeast Tallahassee neighborhood reporter. As neighbors work to rebuild their homes, they also work to rebuild their community spirit.

Stephanie Miller, Neighbor – “We loved going home that night and waking up to a normal day…and then it was gone.”

Stephanie Miller remembers May 10 like it was yesterday. Six months after tornadoes devastated her town, she says the initial shock is just now starting to wear off.

Miller – “You start to get used to the trees that you used to see going down Woodville Highway – they’re not there, and that’s normal now, because that’s what we’re used to now.”

But it will take a long time to get used to the new Woodville.

Myrick “Rick the Barber” Thompson – “You know, we don’t have much in Woodville, not really, but we’re starting to have a lot.”

Myrick Thompson, also known as Rick the Barber, says he felt the need to help lift the spirit of the community. So he organized a “Community Awareness Day” right in the heart of the city.

Thompson – “A lot of events like this happen around Tallahassee, you know? And it’s not coming to Woodville. So I’m from Woodville and so I said, you know what? Why not bring it to Woodville?”

Dozens of neighbors gathered for what he calls a unified sigh of relief, with the help of music and food.

Miller – “It felt like we were finally getting back to where we were before.”

Miller says seeing her kids and neighbors having fun makes the idea of ​​moving on all the more real.

A city once in ruins—now healing together.

Thompson – “Look at us today. You know, look at us today. We’re having a blast. And, you know, just coming together in Woodville as a community.”

The event also served as an opportunity for local businesses to connect with neighbors and for neighbors to connect with healthcare resources.

In southeast Tallahassee, Kenya Cardonne ABC 27