By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

While most were enjoying time off work during the Memorial Day, a group of Pelham volunteers spent the weekend helping a Midwest city reeling in the aftermath of a devastating tornado.

The Pelham Police Department, Realty South and Susan Schein Automotive partnered to gather items to ship to Moore, Okla., which was struck by an EF5 tornado on May 20.

Volunteers gathered donations of everything from fresh water to walkers for elderly residents at Pelham’s Realty South through May 27. Throughout the weekend, Realty South displayed large banners reading “Here we come, Oklahoma,” and signs lined the U.S. 31 median requesting donations for the tornado victims.

“It went great. We did so well this weekend,” Cindy Vining with Realty South said on May 28. “It’s unbelievable how generous people are when someone is facing a tragedy.”

After the donations were collected, they nearly filled a 24-foot truck to the brim before the items were shipped to Oklahoma. The items included water, non-perishable food items, cleaning supplies, new clothing and shoes of all sizes, undergarments, socks, T-shirts, sunscreen, aloe, new stuffed animals, new blankets, baby items, first aid supplies, plastic tubs of all sizes with lids and dog and cat food.

“People have just been real good. We had a great response,” Vining said.