Donations to Dexter Tornado Relief Fund Continue As Residents Begin Rebuilding

As homeowners in the Dexter area continue the process of rebuilding and repairing houses damaged by an , donations to the Dexter Tornado Relief Fund continue to come from clubs, students groups, and residents from across Michigan.

With a organization in mid-May, the fund has now reached a whoping $275,000.

Nancy Paul, director of Faith in Action, a nonprofit organization serving Chelsea and Dexter, said disbursements from the fund continue weekly.

"Disbursements began two weeks after the tornado hit, when there was around
$150,000 in the fund," Paul said. "The committee, made up of representatives from the Village of Dexter, Dexter Township, Dexter Community Schools, Chelsea State Bank, Faith in Action and LaFontaine Automotive Group, were careful to direct funds to the most critical needs."

Paul said roughly $125,000 has been distributed so far to help pay for insurance deductibles, car repairs, transportation for displaced families, and downed trees in neighborhoods.

"There are over 400 addresses of known affected households in the Dexter community, and committee members wanted to make sure funds could help with immediate needs before allocating money for long-term projects," she said.

Paul said applications from homeowners affected by the storm are steadily coming in.

"Many people didn’t realize their house structure had been affected till weeks
following the storm, so applications have been coming in steadily over the past
weeks," she said.

Individuals applying for assistance from the fund are required to provide information on the situation of the household regarding the expense, household income, employment and special circumstances. Applicants must also provide documentation for the expense.

"If someone asks for help paying their deductible, they need to show an insurance policy that says what the deductible is, plus evidence that a claim has been filed," Paul said. "Many applications have needed follow-up because information has not been included."

A committee of volunteers meets weekly to review disbursements. Paul said completed applications can take up to a week to receive payment.

"Recent efforts have focused on the huge job of removing the flipped-up stumps, primarily from out in Dexter Township, but inside the village as well," Paul said. "The large chipper that provided the initial clean up efforts in getting tree debris off Dexter-Pinckney Road is now back, grinding up stumps that have been dragged from yards in the area by local volunteers."

The fund is paying for the chipper service because homeowners insurance does not pay for tree damage that does not impact the dwelling.

Area residents are encouraged to contact any of the committee members if they have suggestions on how the Dexter Relief Fund can best serve the
community in its recovery efforts.

Courtney Nichols can be reached at the Village of Dexter Offices, 734-426-8303; Libby Brushaber can be reached at the Dexter Township Hall, 734-475-9398; Nancy Paul can be reached at 734-475-3305; and Sharon Raschke and Mary Marshall can be reached at Dexter Community Schools, 734-424-4100.

Donations to the Dexter Tornado Relief Fund can be made online at www.dexterrelieffund.com.