OHATCHEE, Ala. (WIAT) — Thursday will mark three weeks since tornados across the state left cities like Ohatchee devastated. 

Since the March 25 storms, Oak Bowery Baptist Church has functioned as the area’s disaster relief distribution center where essential supplies have been available for victims.

“They could come for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Roger Willmore, Director of Missions for Calhoun Baptist Association, said about what Oak Bowery was offering. “At the same time, there was counseling provided, at the same time they had resources available.”

Word about the destruction traveled fast as volunteer groups flocked from all over the country to help Ohatchee recover. Willmore says, as devastating as it looks, they’ve made significant progress on cleanup. Now, they’re asking for some extra muscle.

“Some of the stuff is bigger than people,” Sid Nichols the former Missions Director for the Calhoun Baptist Association said. “So, we need a front end loader, if you got a front end loader, a skid steer, a bulldozer whatever. If you can volunteer it or provide it, 

But the people of Ohatchee aren’t working alone. According to the Calhoun County Emergency Management Agency, excavators are helping victims out around the city now.

“There is a company that’s been contracted out by the county to start collecting debris and get it out by the roadside and it’ll get picked up for them,” Tiffany DeBoer, Public Information Officer for Calhoun County EMA said.

Nichols said getting the debris to the roadside is where the need for heavy machinery comes in.

“I want to make a real plea to people, people that have heavy equipment, people who can pull limbs, pile trash, separate debris out of trash so we can get it to the road,” he said.

If you’d like to donate to storm victims, you can do so here.

If you’d like to sign up to volunteer with Oak Bowery Baptist Church you visit their Facebook page.

If you need information or forms from Calhoun County EMA, you can do so here.