¾ÅÓÎÌåÓý

DAWSON SPRINGS, Ky. (WSIL) -- A Carbondale woman is helping a friend who lost her home to a deadly tornado over the weekend.

Michele Jones was home Friday night speaking to a friend in Dawson Springs, Kentucky moments before storms devastated the town.

"She was talking about how the sirens were going off," Jones said.

Jones watched the aftermath of the storm in a Facebook video taken by a friend in town. Jones said the images left her speechless.

"You just have that flood of memories of what it was and why you remember these places and how it looks now," Jones said. "It's completely heartbreaking."

One of Jones' friends lost her home in the storm but escaped with her life and her four children.

"Outside of your memories, items or pictures in your wedding dress or jewelry you got from your grandma, everything else can be replaced," Jones said.

Jones is collecting donations and plans to deliver them to her friend on Sunday. So far she's collected items like food, clothes and toiletries. But other items like propane and charcoal are needed to cook and stay warm.

That's because the town's power is not expected to return for another week, Jones says.

"Some of these people lost everything and they don't even have a pot to cook with," Jones said.

Surviving storms and supplying aid is a Jones family tradition. Jones nearly lost everything in the 2009 Derecho storm. Her grandfather lost his wife and three children in the 1957 tornado that tore through southern Illinois.

Jones says her 'charitable' grandfather's teachings have rubbed off on her and hopes others can follow suit.

"He was always a very charitable man as well who anytime he saw a need or knew a solution to an issue he was right there to do it," Jones said.

"All of us should be called upon to help. It should be in our nature to bring people together when hurting or in crisis."

Jones will be collecting donations Thursday through Saturday. A schedule can be found below. Those interested in donating can message Jones on the group page.

You can also leave donations at the Southern Illinois Network Consultants office in Carbondale at 1170 N. Cedar Ct.

THURSDAY

• Carterville
  • Moto-Mart parking lot- 5:30pm - 6pm
  • Walker's Bluff Trivia Night, 7pm- 9pm

FRIDAY

• Marion
  • Southern Illinois Network Consultants office, 5pm-7pm
    • 1113 N. Court St., Suite B

SATURDAY

• Murphysboro
  • Walgreen's parking lot, 11am- 11:45am

• Carbondale
  • Eagle's Club, 12pm- 12:20pm
  • 1206 W. Linden St
  • Walmart parking lot, 12:30pm- 1:15p

• Carterville
  • Borowiak's IGA parking lot, 1:30pm- 2:15pm

• Herrin
  • Walgreen's parking lot, 2:30pm- 3:30pm

• Marion
  • Southern Illinois Network Consultants office, 4pm- 6pm