05/31/2024
I've been thinking about what to say about Claremore now for several days. I didn't think I could love this community and love living here any more than I already do ... but I was wrong.
The way people have gathered around each other, around total strangers, around city officials and workers, around the law enforcement has been STELLAR! Legendary! Epic! Heartwarming! Amazeballs!
Truly. Words cannot express how wonderful it has been to see the volunteers helping with food, drink, diapers, distributing frozen breastmilk to strangers with infants, cooking, running errands, cutting trees and removing limbs, digging out personal belongings from destroyed homes, boarding up windows, attempting to return photographs and sensitive paperwork found miles from their points of origin, delivering hot meals and cold drinks, doing laundry, offering showers, and welcoming displaced people into their homes and lives.
Honestly, I don't think there is one person who asked for help (most did not have to even ask) who didn't have multiple responses and offers to come immediately.
And don't let me forget the businesses and business owners who donated food, drinks, plywood, roofing tarps, bucket trucks, chainsaws, trailers, a place to cool off and charge phones, and on and on. Incredible selfless giving!
I wish I could convey how the sense of community has been almost overwhelming in the (going on) five days since the tornado.
I am SO happy to be a Claremore-ite ... Claremorian .... Claremoron. I think God put us into exactly the right community.
We LOVE LOVE LOVE it here.
Thank you, Claremore, for being such a wonderful place to call home!
