By Patrick Baron

PONTIAC – The American Red Cross has been recruiting local volunteers to help the neighboring state of Iowa recover after the multiple tornadoes ran through the state last week.

The tornadoes tore threw parts of central Iowa, including parts of Polk County and the Des Moines area, as well as the communities of Pella, Bondurant, and Marshalltown. Marshalltown in particular sustained heavy damage, with more than 600 commercial and residential structures damaged. To help, 22 volunteers with the Red Cross have gone on a road trip to help those areas resume some semblance of normalcy. Many volunteers are in Marshalltown distributing meals and disaster relief items.

The Red Cross expects thousands of meals will be distributed to the people of Marshalltown who were most affected by the devastating tornadoes. In addition to meals, volunteers are also delivering bottled water and clean-up supplies like shovels, rakes, gloves, and tarps.

Patrick Baron can be reached at [email protected].