Crews of Amish and Mennonite volunteers will be in Ringgold for about the next six months helping repair and rebuild homes destroyed by a tornado that struck April 27, 2011.
Photo by Mike O’NealIn the 21 weeks since waves of severe weather swept across the Southeast, including one tornado that buzz-sawed a path through parts of Ringgold, local residents have gotten used to the sight of demolition and construction crews.
But something last week attracted gawkers and well-wishers alike to Sparks Street, where “plain people” were on a job site.
The arrival of these Mennonites and Amish had been eagerly anticipated by members of Catoosa Acting In Disaster.
COAD was formed within days of the storm’s passing to assist those who need help putting their lives back together and a roof over their heads. By providing the material and volunteer laborers necessary to construct modest homes, equal or better than what was lost, COAD is able to build two-bedroom homes for about $42,000 and a three-bedroom home for roughly $46,000.
Such rock-bottom prices are possible in part because suppliers, such as Home Depot, offer substantial discounts on hardware.