Hiding the Storm Out

If you haven't yet heard the news, a fairly powerful tornado touched down just north of IU Kokomo on Wednesday afternoon. There were no fatalities, thankfully, but before heading east towards Greentown, this EF3 tornado peaked at 152 mph, flattened a Starbucks, and demolished large tracts of a residential neighborhood.

Fifteen to twenty people were injured, some Kokolocals have lost their homes, and many of us don't have electricity. If you need help or if you'd like to get involved, there are several avenues available.

First, if you need assistance, authorities are urging folks to contact the Red Cross at  (317) 684-1441. You can also visit their website here or visit the actual Indiana Red Cross headquarters in Indianapolis at 1510 N. Meridian. As with all things twenty-first century, there's also a free Red Cross emergency app available on both Android and Apple devices.

To make a donation, text HOOSIER to 41444 to give to the Salvation Army, or text REDCROSS to 90999 to support relief efforts.

My friends at IU Kokomo have set up a Student-in-Crisis fund to assist students and their families who have been affected or displaced by the tornadoes (there were eight in all in the Howard county/Kokomo area on Wednesday afternoon). To make a donation to the Student-in-Crisis Fund, follow these simple steps:

1) Go to https://www.myiu.org/give-now

2) Select "Make a Gift"

3) Enter "Student in Crisis Fund" in the search engine for "Use My Gift to Support"

4) Make a donation.

For more information about the Student-in-Crisis Fund, click here. If you have specific questions, e-mail Kim Evans at kimsevan@iuk.edu.