Volunteers help clean up community

The Duncan family could have spent Saturday morning relaxing at home, instead they decided to give back to their community.

The Duncans, along with about 30 other volunteers, showed up to help with the joint storm damage cleanup effort by the American Red Cross of Augusta and Habitat for Humanity. An April 10 tornado tore through parts of south Augusta last weekend.

Niko Duncan, 16, was positive about his role in the cleanup.

"I love helping out the community," he said. "I figured it would be a great way to give back to the community because they are always giving back to me in different ways, so why not come back and pick up all the trees that fell down during that giant storm the other week."

Niko's parents, Rik and Elsa Duncan, of Martinez, decided to join their son in the cleanup effort.

"We heard about this on the television yesterday morning, and actually one of my mom's employees lives on this street, so I thought it would be a good chance to come out and help those that actually help our family and help those in need," Rik Duncan said as he hauled debris from a backyard on Gatewood Drive to a nearby trash bin.

Sarah E. Townsend, the director of public relations and development for the American Red Cross of Augusta, said that the organization was pleased to see so many volunteers show up.

"The turnout has been great," she said. "We're excited to see that folks are so excited to turn out and help fellow Augustans and work on rebuilding their lives and their homes."

Others also came out to Gatewood Drive, located off of Bungalow Road.

Olen Blackmon, of Augusta, said that he has traveled as a volunteer for medical missions overseas with Trinity on the Hill United Methodist Church, and that he's planning on taking a trip with his church to Africa in June.

"I was thinking that I go overseas and help people all the time, I need to do something locally," Mr. Blackmon said. "I've been on some missions to Gulfport, New Orleans and Florida, but I've never done any work right here in my own town. These people need help as much as people I've helped in Honduras."

Tom Mills, a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, also showed up to help. For him, the damage was a reminder of how disasters can strike where you least expect them.

"It's the sort of thing you see on the news from a place like Kansas." he said. "It's just amazing the amount of damage that can be caused in such a short time."

Reach Jonathan Overstreet at (706) 823-3708 or jonathan.overstreet@augustachronicle.com.