Nebraska volunteers join emotional rebuilding efforts in Oklahoma after devastating tornado
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A group of Nebraskans is helping people down in Oklahoma after destructive tornadoes.
More than a dozen volunteers didn’t think twice when they heard about the twister. They just packed up their supplies and hit the road.
“It is the worst day in these people’s lives,” said Dan Wolterman, a volunteer from Lincoln.
The Omaha Rapid Response team is made up of people from both Lincoln and Omaha, as well as people outside of Nebraska.
The group is turning hurt into healing as they help victims of the tornado rebuild not only their homes, but their emotions.
“The impact you can have on people’s lives is just tremendous because you see a transformation of people right in front of you,” said Ken Gruber, the team leader.
The organization has been in Oklahoma for about a week now, doing anything and everything that the local families need.
“We pick up debris, we go through their things and try to retrieve whatever they want to keep,” said Tammy Alley, a volunteer from Lincoln.
For some of the volunteers, it’s a mission that hits close to home.
A few of them were impacted by the Arbor Day tornado outbreak in Nebraska in 2024, which tore through the Lincoln and Omaha areas.
Hundreds of homes in Elkhorn were ripped apart.
Gruber said the work they’re doing in Oklahoma is healing for the team and the people they’re helping.
“We want to not only address their physical needs, but their mental, emotional and spiritual needs,” he said. “When you’re just sitting there, listening to a story for 30 minutes or 60 minutes or two hours, you’re actually doing the most important work.”
Gruber said it means everything to their team to put a smile on people’s faces as they navigate through the aftermath.
“We look at them all as divine appointments,” he said. “We want to build relationships. We continue to follow up for weeks, months and even years.”
The team will return home on Wednesday, but they will go back and help the families in Oklahoma even further if needed.
