everythingLubbock.com
by: Payton Reeves
Posted:
LUBBOCK, Texas — It has been almost a month since an EF-3 tornado swept through the town of Matador, killing four and injuring 15 others. Since then, the community has continued to work towards getting the town back to where it was before the twister.
The rebuilding and recovery process is still ongoing, and some say just getting started here in Matador. While it hasn’t been an easy process, residents said the people and the community, not just here, but around West Texas, have been a bright light in a dark time.
Annette Hollinsworth, owner of the New to You clothing store in town, has lived in Matador for 26 years and said even though the volunteers have left, the community is still helping their neighbors.
“I have never seen a community that comes together like Motley County does,” said Hollinsworth. “I decided, ‘OK, I’m going to start an account for the Matador Relief Fund, and if someone wants to buy whatever was donated, then I will donate the money that they give me for it to the Matador Relief Fund.’”
Motley County Emergency Management Coordinator, Lee Jones, said that a lot has happened in the past three weeks and there’s still a lot more to do.
“We’re still gathering all the documentation and paperwork stuff,” said Jones. “We’re working on getting some of the recovery funds that were donated and distributed out to those in need; that process has already started. As far as the population that was affected, a lot of them are still trying to decide if they’re going to try to rebuild where they’re at or rebuild elsewhere.”
Motley County ISD Superintendent, Kurt Koepke, is hoping to bring back some normalcy before school starts next month.
“We’re starting school as usual,” said Koepke. “We are moving on, we think we thank God for the blessings that he has given us, our school was not damaged very bad… We’re going to start as usual and get back to what we do here that makes this place so great.”
According to Jones there’s still a long road ahead, but he said the community is stronger than ever because everyone came together.
“It’ll be a couple of years before we probably have everybody back to where they want to be,” said Jones. “We had quite a few people that had their homes completely destroyed and their businesses completely destroyed.”
Ultimately, all three residents said the community is still overwhelmingly positive nearly a month later.
“In these small communities, like Matador or any place in West Texas, when something like this happens-because this doesn’t happen everywhere else around the country or even the state,” said Kopeke. “When something happens like this, where communities come together, and communities that are outside and around our area come in and help, this is why we live where we live.”
Matador still has a surplus of items like food, water and other supplies, so if you want to help out in the rebuilding process, they ask you to donate to the Matador Relief Fund.