WATERLOO -- The Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa has received a heartfelt $925.00 donation to the Tornadoes of 2008 Assistance Fund from the staff and board of the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation of West Virginia. Parkersburg, West Virginia is located on the Ohio River.

In addition, the letter accompanying the donation stated that the Parkersburg, West Virginia chapter of the American Red Cross also collected donations to send to the Iowa town that shares its namesake after the May 25th tornado devastated the area.

A representative of the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation of West Virginia said, "We are a small foundation, but wanted to do something to express our concern and help in some small way. We have faced our share of flooding and know how hard it is to recover from a natural disaster."

Mary Ann Burk, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, was pleasantly surprised when she opened the letter. "We have been so overwhelmed with the number of donations and well wishes that have come in from all over the country for the victims of the recent disasters in our area. This most recent gift from the staff and board of a small community foundtion in another state was another firm reminder that good neighbors know no boundaries."

The Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa is partnering with existing nonprofit and governmental agencies within the areas affected by the tornado to provide funding for the services these agencies are delivering to meet the ongoing and long-term needs.

Donations to the Tornadoes of 2008 Assistance Fund are being accepted via credit or debit card online at www.cfneia.org. Donations of cash or checks may be sent to the Community Foundation at PO Box 1176, Waterloo, IA 5070, or dropped off at the Community Foundation office located at 425 Cedar Street, Suite 310, on the 3rd Floor of the US Bank Building in downtown Waterloo. For more information, please contact the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa at (319) 287-9106 or email foundationquestions@cfneia.org.

Saturday,May 31, 2008

, Section: A, Page A1

Dateline: PARKERSBURG

PARKERSBURG -- The people of Parkersburg, W. Va., knew little if anything about the community of Parkersburg, Iowa, until news footage of the devastation left behind when an EF5 tornado roared through the town brought the tragedy into their homes.

Then, they knew just one thing about the town that shared their name -- the people there could use all the help those in West Virginia could spare. When local NBC affiliate station WTAP teamed up with the Mid-Ohio Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross, the community responded in a big way, raising more than $10,600 in less than 48 hours.

"I am not surprised by their generosity, but the amount blew me away," said Roger Sheppard, the station's general manager and telethon coordinator.

Sharon Kesserling, financial development director for the Mid-Ohio Valley area Red Cross, received a call from Sheppard about 10 a.m. Tuesday, and by the noon newscast volunteers were manning phone banks ready to accept donations. Though Parkersburg, W. Va., has about 33,000 residents, the Red Cross and television station reach a much larger area.

"People were just astounded by the way the town looked, and they were affected by the loss of life. When you think that one-third to half the town was affected, they got to thinking about how that would have affected them," said Kesserling. "Some even said they were getting calls from family and friends because they heard there was a tornado in Parkersburg, but didn't hear that it was in Iowa."

The money raised went straight to the American Red Cross relief fund, which was already sending money to Iowa. Alan McKean, director of the Hawkeye Chapter of the American Red Cross, knew very little about the work being done halfway across the country.

"I just think the symbiosis is great. I like the human interaction, the caring that went into that and the thought and the sister city approach," he said. "We will make sure the money is used well."

Kesserling said she is shocked media outlets are finding out about their telethon, but added that the news coverage did result in an e-mail and phone call from a very appreciative Parkersburg resident.

"The e-mail expressed how great the need was, but how wonderful it was that total strangers stepped up to help people just because they reside in towns with the same name," Kesserling said.

Contact Emily Christensen at (319) 291-1570 or

Thursday,July 17, 2008

, Section: A, Page A1

Dateline: PARKERSBURG

PARKERSBURG -- A shared name, common faith and a natural disaster connect two Baptist congregations.

News reports about an EF5 tornado that devastated communities May 25 reached members of a congregation four states away. One town in particular caught their attention.

"Never knew there was a Parkersburg, Iowa," said Mark Houser, pastor of Lubeck Community Baptist Church.

To Houser, Parkersburg is a nearby town in West Virginia.

His congregation was working on plans to provide hurricane relief in Mississippi. When the mission trip fell through, church members decided to reach out to Parkersburg, Iowa.

Saturday night a crew of about 30 volunteers rolled into Butler County for a weeklong service project. They will spend most of their time assisting Calvary Baptist Church because its parsonage was severely damaged by the storm.

"Everything just fell into place," said Woody Miller, a member of the Lubeck congregation. "It was meant to be."

This week, the crew from West Virginia helped put up walls and added a roof in the pastor's home. Other out-of-state volunteers are already lined up to help finish the job.

Members of Lubeck Community Baptist are also picking up debris and are putting on vacation Bible school at Calvary Baptist for kids in the community.

Ryan Zurbriggen, pastor at Calvary since February, is grateful for all of the West Virginians' efforts.

"Tangibly, they relieve a big burden … ," Zurbriggen said. "We could have done it, but it's always awesome to have help."

The parsonage was home for Zurbriggen; his wife, Renessa; and their three children, Caleb, 4; Micah, 2; and Hope, 6 months.

The Parkersburg church is Zurbriggen's first post. The 32-year-old Clermont native recently finished seminary in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Calvary attracts about 65 people each Sunday, and the pastor says they are weathering individual and collective losses together.

One member of Calvary, Ray Meyocks, died after suffering a heart attack immediately following the tornado. About 10 families lost homes, Zurbriggen said, and many others have family or friends affected.

Then came the floods.

"It was one thing after another for two or three weeks," Zurbriggen said.

Members of Aplington Baptist Church also stepped up. They are helping with leadership as Calvary recovers, Zurbriggen said.

Though he believes his congregants are doing well, fatigue is present, he added. Volunteers from West Virginia, meanwhile, say they are glad to help. And they treasure relationships with new friends in Parkersburg, Iowa.

Teens and adults from Lubeck Community Baptist hold regular devotional sessions for their team at the church and Calvary church members are invited to join in, volunteer John Dixon said. Calvary also brings in residents from Parkersburg to talk about their experience.

Vacation Bible school leaders hope the week's lessons help kids rely on God after the storm. The curriculum, which includes lessons about overcoming fear and helping others, seems timely, volunteer Kristi Miller said.

In town, residents frequently want to share their stories with volunteer Bill Packard. Packard, a retired assistant city engineer for Parkersburg, W. Va., is working on the parsonage.

"You start any conversation and within two minutes it's going to turn into the tornado," he said.

"These people are hurting real bad emotionally."

Packard has his own reasons for making the trip to Iowa. His wife died four days after the tornado hit Northeast Iowa. He said working on the parsonage helps keep him busy.

"I decided if I was in the Lord's house doing the Lord's work … I'd be as close to her as I could be," Packard said.

Everyone of the volunteers has a reason and a story for serving, he added, but what's really important is the shared mission.

"This is not about any one of us. This is about God."

T-shirts remind volunteers of their focus and purpose, illustrating two states separated by distance but united by a cross.

Dillon Gibson, 10, of Parkersburg, Iowa, and Andy Smith, 10, of Aplington, attended vacation Bible school this week. They are impressed strangers from West Virginia would take time to teach kids about Jesus.

"It's, like, truly amazing how people from so far away would actually come to help us," Gibson said.

The West Virginians plan to head for home Saturday morning. But Houser, Packard and others are convinced this first act of service is only the beginning. Some Iowa residents are already talking about visiting Lubeck, Packard said.

"We are connected now," he said. "Our lives will be changed forever because we know these people."

Contact Karen Heinselman at (319) 291-1581 or karen.heinselman@wcfcourier.com. InfoBox A West Virginia group stepped up to run a Vacation Bible School in Parkersburg. See the action