CEDAR FALLS - As the masseuse kneaded her way up and down Bev Lundy's back, Lundy felt the tension of the last year evaporating, if only for a moment.

"It does feel good. Your hands feel so warm," Lundy said.

"I get that a lot. My hands are always warm," laughed Jessica Doyle, from La' James International College in Cedar Falls.

Twenty workers from Project Recovery Iowa gathered Monday at St. Luke's Episcopal Church for pizza, salad, treats, cookies and massages donated from local businesses.

Organizers billed it as a night of relaxation and stress management for workers who have dedicated the past year to helping tornado and flood victims rebuild their lives.

"It's been a heck of an experience to share, and we won't realize the magnitude of it until we take the time to pause and reflect," said Peter Cote, a social worker with Project Recovery Iowa.

All along, Cote said, he has been concerned the very workers teaching disaster victims coping skills were not taking the time to care for themselves.

With commemorations of the disasters taking place, Cote said it seemed like a good time to let his big-hearted good samaritans take a step back and reflect on their experiences.

They drew pictures as part of art therapy, talked about the highs and lows of their work, and even practiced some yoga.

Ron Reil, a retired farmer who works as a night chaplain at Allen Hospital, has been on the ground with many families in rural parts of the Cedar Valley as an outreach worker.

He choked up as he talked about watching them live through their highs and many lows.

Reil remembers the devastation. A home to four generations of a family destroyed in an instant. He remembers the resilient recovery. The same family gathered the pieces of wood of their shattered home and constructed a grandfather clock.

He also remembers the tough decisions. Families who had to choose between rebuilding a family home or constructing shelter for their livestock because insurance did not cover both.

The work is not done yet, Reil said. Inevitably, some families who pinned their hopes on receiving buyouts for flooded homes will be disappointed. He and the rest of the team will be there to guide them through until the group, funded by a state grant, disbands on Sept. 30.

"You start to feel their problems so deeply, you become a part of them. You fill your heart up with their problems," he said. "But I'm proud of what I've done. I'm proud of the people I've worked with."