Rogers and Decatur offer weekend aid to storm victims

We are heading into our first full weekend of cleanup, following the massive tornadoes that swept through our area. Rogers and Decatur, two hard-hit communities, have plans in place to ensure everyone is taken care of. One support option is at Rogers High School. For those in Decatur, there are several choices. “It was our little piece of heaven, here on Earth,” said Decatur resident Rick Hickson. Hickson only has one photo left to remember his home of 30 years. The two houses located on his 40 acres of land were destroyed. Drone video taken by Robert Smiley shows how widespread the damage was. “We actually consider ourselves among the luckiest, even though we lost material things,” Hickson said. Hickson says his community has been so torn apart that it’s not “It looked like a park with these big trees that were 200, 300 years old,” Hickson said. “It’s all gone.” Help will be available for those who need it over the weekend. The Decatur Local Library will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday for those who need to register for FEMA assistance. Decatur City Hall will be open Saturday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. for those with general questions about storm assistance. Those wishing to help with cleanup and recovery can also visit City Hall on Saturdays between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. “There’s a lot of debris to pick up,” Decatur Mayor Bob Tharp said. “So the town has a significant amount of insulation, photos, just stuff that the tornado picked up and dumped on us.” Rogers High School will be open Saturday and Sunday to help those affected by the storm. The donation and distribution center will operate from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. “I know several people who left homes in ruins and came here to help those in need,” said Rogers Public Schools Supt. » said Jeff Perry. “And they have their own problems at home.” In Decatur, Rick Hickson is grateful for the outpouring of support. “The people have been overwhelming,” Hickson said. “You know, constantly. What do you need? What can we give you?” Hickson said the storm’s impacts will still be felt next week, next month and even next year.

BENTON COUNTY, Ark. —

We are heading into our first full weekend of cleanup, following the massive tornadoes that swept through our area.

Rogers and Decatur, two hard-hit communities, have plans in place to ensure everyone is taken care of. One support option is at Rogers High School. For those in Decatur, there are several choices.

“It was our little piece of heaven, here on Earth,” said Decatur resident Rick Hickson.

Hickson only has one photo left to remember his home of 30 years. The two houses located on his 40 acres of land were destroyed. A video taken by Robert Smiley shows the extent of the damage.

“We actually consider ourselves among the luckiest, even though we lost material things,” Hickson said.

Hickson says his community has been so torn apart that he’s not sure it will ever look the same again in his lifetime.

“It looked like a park with these big trees that were 200 or 300 years old,” Hickson said. “It’s all gone.”

Help will be available for those who need it over the weekend. The Decatur Local Library will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday for those who need to register for FEMA assistance. Decatur City Hall will be open Saturday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. for those with general questions about storm assistance. Those wishing to contribute to the cleanup and recovery can also visit City Hall on Saturdays between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

“There’s a lot of debris to pick up,” Decatur Mayor Bob Tharp said. “So the town has a substantial amount of insulation, photos, just stuff that the tornado picked up and dumped on us.”

Rogers High School will be open Saturday and Sunday to help those affected by the storm. The donation and distribution center will operate from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“I know several people who left their homes in ruins and came here to help those in need,” said Rogers Public Schools Superintendent Jeff Perry. “And they have their own problems at home.”

In Decatur, Rick Hickson is grateful for the outpouring of support.

“There were a lot of people,” Hickson said. “You know, constantly. What do you need? What can we get you?”

Hickson said the storm’s impacts will still be felt next week, next month and even next year.