Lemont Woman Heads to Oklahoma to Assist with Tornado Recovery Effort

A Lemont woman is traveling to Oklahoma on Wednesday to assist with tornado recovery efforts, and is asking Lemont residents to help the cause.

Terri O-Neill-Borders, founder of the Hope and Friendship Foundation, is leaving at noon Wednesday for Moore, OK, a town devastated by a massive EF-5 tornado Monday.

O'Neill-Borders will work with Crisis Response International, a non-profit organization that mobilizes and trains volunteers, churches and other organizations to respond to disasters. She is trained in crisis response through her work at Lemont Township and the Lemont Police Department.

Before leaving Wednesday, O'Neill-Borders is collecting funds and several items to take to Oklahoma. The following items are needed:

• Food handling gloves
• Gift cards: Grocery stores, Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Lowe's
• Paper goods: Plates, cups, utensils, serving ware, paper towels
• Hygiene kits, toilet paper, etc.
• Tarps
• Heavy gloves
• Mosquito spray and sunscreen

For more information, contact Terri O'Neill-Borders at 630-816-4972 or hopeandfriendship@comcast.net.

For more information on the Crisis Response International recovery effort, visit http://criout.com/event/cri-deployment-to-oklahoma-city.

Want to help Oklahoma victims after Terri leaves?

If you would like to help, you can do so from your computer or mobile device right now.

• The Red Cross says in the immediate aftermath, the best way to help is to donate at RedCross.org or text REDCROSS to 90999.

• The Salvation Army has mobilized in Oklahoma, and you can support them by donating online; or by texting STORM to 80888 to contribute $10 to the Salvation Army’s relief efforts; or by making a donation via phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY.

• For a longer list of organizations related to recovery from the tornado, see this list on The Huffington Post.

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