MARYSVILLE, Ind. -- (WDRB) The weather is turning colder, but the recovery effort continues in parts of Indiana hit by the March 2nd tornadoes. Volunteers are still needed and still working to rebuild hope.
March 2 Recovery volunteers have come here to Marysville to rebuild an open-air shelter that means much more to this town than just concrete and wood.
It resembles an old-fashioned barn-raising. There is a swarm of volunteers from Americorps pounding and cutting and pouring themselves into restoring the heart of Marysville.
"We drove past here and saw the damage. So we really wanted to do some type of project involving the center because it so clearly an important place," said Americorps team leader Laurie Miller.
This shelter was a long-time family gathering spot.
"A lot of people in the area would just come down, sit under the shelter and have a picnic maybe let their kids ride on the merry-go-round or the swings," said township trustee Bill Bussey.
Rebuilding an old shelter may not sound like much, but when nearly half the town was wiped out by the March 2 storm, any sign of progress is welcome.
"I think it means a lot to the community and the surrounding community. It's not just the people here in town but everybody around here used it," said Bussey.
This shelter will also serve as the staging area when work begins on rebuilding Marysville's historic community center. It was built in the 1920s and served as a school for 50 years.
The timetable for rebuilding depends on money and manpower.
"We never know how many volunteer groups we're going to have week-to-week, and we never know what their skill level is," said March 2 Recovery construction supervisor David Poe.
Progress here has been slow but steady. Marysville lost 40 percent of its population, and some may never return.
"We're trying to make sure that everyone knows that even though there's lots of stuff going on, the center itself is still a priority," said Miller.
"Obviously we still have a lot of work to do on the main building," said Poe. "But we wanted to get the people here in Marysville to see something started, something moving along."
This project is meant to be a sign of hope that Marysville will be restored.
"We thank God for all the help we get," said Bussey.
As we enter the fall and winter months, March 2 Recovery still needs volunteers, especially skilled laborers. For more information on how to volunteer, you can click on The Button.
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