EUDORA, Ark. — Over the weekend, tornadoes ripped through the south and killed more than two dozen people— leaving a path of destruction.
The storm nearly missed the city of Eudora, Arkansas, but community members in town still jumped into action to help as soon as the storm passed.
Without hesitation, Eudora Fire Chief David Ingraham organized relief efforts.
"My first thought was, just go. Just go. I mean, you know, that's what we do," he said.
Ingraham explained that the state lines don't define a community and there was never a question of whether or not they would help.
"We're all like, you know, just like one big family. And if one hurts, you know we all hurt, we feel if you help one help everyone," Ingraham added.
Within hours of the skies clearing, donations started pouring into the Eudora Fire Department. The relief efforts came not just from Eudora but from towns across southern Arkansas.
"We have we have fire departments in Del Mar we have fire departments in Mcgehee we have the sheriff department in Mcgehee, Arkansas," Ingraham described.
So many donations came in that volunteers were already able to deliver a few truckloads of supplies to Mississippi.
"There are still people that that are doing without a lot... were willing to come out of pocket ourselves. So it's... only the right thing to do," volunteer Calvin Lee said.
Ingraham shared that those deliveries were met with tears of joy from the people in Rolling Fork.
"I started crying myself. I really did. Because I feel that we just touched so many people in that short period of time. And they really needed it at that moment right there. If I could hug every one of them. I would," Ingraham said.
He hopes this proves that a city's size doesn't determine its heart, and that good people are in every community.
"I think we're gonna try to put our name on the map a little bit by helping each and every one that we can," he said.
Chief Ingraham explained that while Eudora does not have a storm shelter, t the closest one is in Lake Village about 20 minutes away. He added that crews are working to build one and hope to finish it in the next few weeks.
The department plans to go back to Rolling Fork again this week and will continue to collect donations as long as they can.
If you're interested in donating Chief Ingraham can be reached at (870) 355-3104.