6 weeks after the storm there is still much to do | Community Spirit

SALISBURY - One of the storms in this spring of swarming tornadoes brought a direct hit to a neighborhood in Rowan County. The Farrington Meadows subdivision off Old Mocksville Road was hit hard all of a sudden on Saturday, April 16th.

Six weeks later, though a lot has been done, there is still much work needed.

The blue tarps are still common sights, and signs from construction companies fill the yards. Roofers are hard at work and neighbors are anxious to get back to normal.

"Between the rain and the heat it's slowed the roofing process," said homeowner David Potts.  Pott's had a lot of damage, inside and out from the tornado. His friends from First Presbyterian Church were a godsend.

"We had a work party out here, 20 people in the yard, it's amazing how much work got accomplished one that one Saturday," Potts added.

There is still much to do in this neighborhood. Big trees are still being hauled out, some folks are living away from home until work can be finished.

Across Old Mocksville Road at Betty Woodle's house, the front door and porch has been rebuilt, and her car has been repaired. She still needs to have the broken wood and metal wood taken away.

Her biggest need is for the roof to be fixed and that hasn't started yet.

"Sometimes I get discouraged, I don't have the patience I've had since the beginning, but I just want it to get started and get finished, but all in all I have a lot to be grateful for," Woodle told WBTV while seeking refuge from the midday sun in a shady spot beside her home.

She did say that one thing that has really been encouraging has been the outpouring of help from friends and even strangers...

"Three men from my grandson's job...they came out here and worked half a day on Saturday and hauled off all this stuff, pulled trees out of the ground. They came from New York, didn't know me from Adam's house cat, but they were kind enough to come and do that."

The folks with a lot of damage are looking at several more weeks of work.

David Potts is hoping that by the end of June he will be able to focus on his yard and landscaping and have the house repairs finished. They have a lot of sympathy for folks in places like Joplin, Missouri, and know it could have been much worse here.