Iowa Tornado Blows Debris into Wisconsin
Iowa Tornado Blows Debris into Wisconsin Save Email Print
Posted: 10:43 PM May 28, 2008
Last Updated: 11:15 PM May 28, 2008

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2008 is going down as the deadliest tornado season in ten years. The National Weather Service says 1,200 tornados have killed 110 people this year alone.

Tornados in northern Iowa destroyed homes, lives and scattered personal belongings all over the state. And some very personal debris is even being found in parts of western Wisconsin.

Cameron White got to work on Monday and saw something he usually doesn't see on his golf course, garbage.

"We were finding pieces of paper that had nothing distinguishing on them that we could say it was from Parkersburg," says the Country Club grounds superintendent.

White says he and his staff have found debris all over the golf course. He's started collecting the personal belongings in an attempt to get them back to the people in Iowa who have lost everything.

"Once we found receipts, later on that day we found a receipt from the grainery in Parkersburg, so then we knew that we had some debris from the tornado. We did find some pictures of an infant baby and people like to have those mementos back."

White and his co-workers aren't the only ones in the area to find these lost treasures. The Prairie du Chien Police Department is also helping out by setting up a collection point to make sure everything is returned to the rightful owners.

"We have a lot of personal items like check books and checks and family pictures and awards... a lot of very light objects, so clearly some significance for people. If we can help, then we will," says police chief Mike King.

King says his heart goes out to everyone affected by last weekend's tornado and he hopes returning these small mementos will help those families begin to recover.

"One of our citizens had a brother killed by the storm in Iowa. So there has been a lot of connection between Prairie du Chien and the devastation in Iowa, so you take it to heart."

White says he and his co-workers don't really feel like they're helping out. He says they're just doing the right thing.

"I just hope everyone there is getting through this. I know it's a tough time but we have you in our thoughts."

King says he will be contacting tornado victims at the end of this week.

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