Ravaged by the Storm

ST. PETER, MINNESOTA

People get lost here driving around Minnesota’s second-oldest community because so many old, familiar landmarks are gone — destroyed by a tornado on March 29. The powerful storm tore up 200-year-old trees and threw homes and garages into space — some never to be found.

Local 614 (Council 6) Pres. Tammy Hughes, LPN, says more than 100 AFSCME members — in St. Peter alone — suffered serious damage and destruction to their homes and personal property from the twister.

TO THE RESCUE. St. Peter’s Regional Treatment Center and the Minnesota Security Hospital — with staff represented by Locals 614 and 786 — are the town’s major employers. The center was a hub of activity after the storm. Set up to care for those with developmental disabilities, it has lost staff as clients have moved into the community.

When the storm hit, power and phone service were gone. The center, with its power generator, was the only place in this southern Minnesota area that could house storm victims and the volunteers who came to help.

"Our members had to prepare up to 800 extra meals for people on campus as well as disaster relief," says Hughes, who used her cell phone to keep in touch with members and the outside world. She’s grateful that the state sent in extra staff. "We had AFSCME members from throughout the state providing relief and help for the community."

Volunteers from the Minnesota AFSCME councils have come to St. Peter to help with the cleanup operation as the town tries to get back to normal.