GOSHEN, Ohio — Cleanup continues in Goshen after the township was devastated Wednesday night by an EF2 tornado.
Dozens of volunteers were out Saturday morning cleaning up debris, chainsawing trees and tarping roofs.
"Main focus today is moving vegetation and trees," said Bob Schoettinger, a volunteer with Crossroads Church.
Schoettinger helped with the cleanup efforts in Bowling Green following a deadly tornado that hit the town back in December.
“I know how traumatic a tornado is on people’s lives when everything is blown away and their way of life instantly changed," Schoettinger said.
Darin Kroger, the lead of Master of Disasters with Crossroads Response Team, said his team responds to natural disasters of all kinds — both locally and across the United States.
"We're just here to help them and we don't expect anything in return," Kroger said.
The team is also there for emotional support. Kroger said them just being there is bringing smiles and tears to faces in Goshen's community. The team is also there to bring hope to the community.
Their help is a welcomed relief for Carla Osborne and her family.
The night of the tornado, Osborne sheltered with her family inside a closet in their house.
"I mean right now the closet was good, but the noise was so loud, we didn’t know if we would come out to anything," Osborne said. "I looked down at my grandson and I said, 'Buddy, what’s wrong?' and he said 'Nana I’m praying'."
When Osborne and her family were finally able to come out, they opened the back door and were shocked to see there was nothing left.
While their world was turned upside down, she said it is the love of her neighbors and complete strangers that are helping them get through this.
“Goshen loves each other and I’m going to tell you there’s a lot of other people coming that don’t live here," Osborne said. "They’re helping, and I’m so thankful for them."
Kroger said he and his team will be in Goshen as long as they are needed. He added that cleanup efforts are a marathon and not a sprint.
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