Victim Contact Information Form

Click Here: Victim Contact Information Form

We need your help! With organizations willing and wanting to help the tornado victims with their needs, it is imperative that we are able to contact those who are living or once lived in the tornado path. Filling out this contact form could mean the difference between a family receiving free aid and not receiving it. This form is not a promise of aid, but rather an attempt to get contact information for those who might qualify for aid.

Due to the fact that so many families have moved quickly to alternate temporary/permanent addresses, contacting them is difficult. We understand that you as their friend or relative might not know all the information below, but just providing what you do know can help us develop the contact list. We will compare this form with postal records and other community resources to determine who the residents are from the damage area and how to contact them.

This information will be treated with the utmost care and not given out to contractors or businesses, but will be treated with confidentiality from the Mayor's office and the County Emergency Management Agency.

Thank you for volunteering your time as you fill out this form in care for others!

If you have any questions or concerns please contact Mayor Joe Wellman's office at 812-254-5575 or the website administrator of this form, Christopher Wiles (Minister at Washington Church of Christ), at 812-610-2484.

Click Here: Victim Contact Information Form

Message from Mayor Wellman: Volunteer Center and Thank You

"After being open for a week, Our Volunteer Center at the Assembly of God has served its purpose & closed yesterday afternoon. Thank you to the church & Pastor Steven Thomas for letting us use your lot & church this past week. If anyone needs assistance going forward the best place to call would be Connections, 257-2650. Could also contact United Way, 254-1038, or Red Cross, 254-9877. If you can't get any of those, call my office 254-5575. We really do want to help anyone who was affected by the tornado last Sunday."

Students leading the way...

We were very blessed to have several student groups leading the way in debris cleanup from the tornado of November 17th, 2013. Those groups included but are not limited to: Lincoln High School, Loogootee High School, Vincennes University, Washington Catholic School, Washington High School, and the Homeschool Ambassadors group.

We're sure more volunteered and we're happy to add them to the album if you send us a photo. Tag your friends!

Thanks again to ALL the wonderful volunteers who have served so far. But don't quit now, there are still more opportunities to do good for your neighbors all around.

To view a Washington Times Herald video of some groups serving, including the Ambassadors group not pictured in the album below, follow this YouTube link: http://youtu.be/PL4siX2gGWo

Lincoln High School

Loogootee High School

Vincennes University

Washington Catholic School

Washington High School

A Message from the Mayor

Thank you, thank you, thank you - words that seem so small when I think of everything and everyone   The outpouring of assistance has been extremely gratifying and truly humbling.  While it is impossible right now to list by name the sources of help, please allow me to express appreciation personally & on behalf of the community.  

our community is thankful for.

From the great number of volunteers of all ages that have been here, to businesses, churches & non-profit organizations, to the cooperation of our City department employees, to County personnel – all who donated food, water, shelter, equipment & manpower – I am grateful to all.  The volunteers have come from everywhere, from down the street to several States away.  And to my fellow City Mayors who offered equipment, manpower, emotional support, and prayers, thank you.  

But my biggest Thank You is to Almighty God for protecting us from death and injury. 

With eternal gratitude,

Joe Wellman

Mayor, Washington, Indiana

Volunteers for Saturday

We are still accepting and directing volunteers toward service areas for Saturday, our last organized volunteer day. We've had just a few more debris removal opportunities come our way. We would also appreciate the help of at least one more chain saw crew.

The Governor's office and area disaster management agencies have visited and agree, Washington is way ahead of schedule! By Saturday afternoon we fully plan to wrap up the debris removal stage of the recovery process. We are so grateful for all of you who have volunteered your time, energy, and funds for the Washington tornado victims.
 
Register at the Assembly of God at 320 S Meridian St. and dress in warm layers!

If you are still looking for more service opportunities after tomorrow stay tuned and we'll have more information about how you can be a blessing in lives of others in the aftermath of the tornadoes. 

Video of Volunteers from the Washington Times Herald

Here is a great video of our student volunteers in action from the Washington Times Herald reporter Nate Smith.

Friday Cleanup Notes

Thank You!
Wow, we have been blessed with at least 600 volunteers this week!  It is hard to imagine the amount of hours of service that have been donated.  In particular we would like to take this opportunity to thank the students from Washington Catholic, Lincoln High School, Washington High School, and Home-school Ambassadors for all of your service this week!

Volunteer Work
The remainder of the work for Friday in the city limits looks to be raking, sweeping, picking up of small debris, and putting debris trash bags by the road side.  We have identified two trees down on the Eastern side of town as well that will require chainsaw work. Outside the city limits we have a bit more of debris moving to do as we move west along Highway 150 toward Etiennes (HN's) market.  Please wear work boots if available to reduce the risk of injury from nails.  Remember to first check in at the Volunteer Center located at the Assembly of God on 320 S. Meridian St. We are hoping that our our most immediate clean up needs to be complete by the end of the day Friday.

 Barricades
Police barricades will remain up through Friday at 4pm to protect our victims and volunteers from traffic.  Please do not drive your vehicles around the barricades and drive slowly around the area.

Victims Needing Help
If you are a tornado victim needing any assistance please call the Connections helpline at 812-257-2650.  If a volunteer does not answer, please leave a message and you will be contacted.  You may also visit the Volunteer Center on Friday to report a need.

Materials Donations
Our community is currently not asking for any more material donations.  The known needs for food, cleaning supplies, and clothing have been met at this time.  Furniture Connections is taking furniture donations for tornado relief. If you have a question about donating please call 812-257-2650. Thank you.  We are currently working to handle our surplus.  Thank you for your desire to help.  

Monetary Donations 
We are currently seeing an increase in those needing help to get into more permanent housing.  We are also starting to get requests for moneys to repair the electrical riser (estimated at $550 for materials and installation) on the house so that the electric company can get power to the house.  See groups below to help donate to these causes.

Daviess County Organizations Active in Disaster is equipped to receive funds for tornado disaster. Donations are being received. Send checks to DCOAD or United Way of Daviess County, PO Box 224, Wash. IN 47501, marked "Tornado Relief".   [DCOAD includes DC Emergency Management Agency, DC Sheriff Department, DC Health Department, American Red Cross, United Way of Daviess County, et all].  Applications for 'need' come through "Connections", at 257-2650.    If you are making a monetary donation to Feed My Sheep or the United Way checks can be dropped off at the Home Building Savings and Loan with "Tornado Relief" in the memo field.


Red Cross is taking donations at their office location on 21st Street behind Old National Bank.


Salvation Army donations could be brought to the trailer they have set up on location at the Volunteer Center on Friday.  

All of these groups have been a big help to those in need in our community!

Community Hospitality
Please remember that we have many from surrounding communities traveling and sacrificing their time, money, and effort to serve our victims.  Please show them Washington hospitality.  Treat them like they were welcome guests in your own home.  Consider letting them in front of you in line, anonymously covering their bill in restaurants, sharpening their chainsaws and plugging their nail filled tires at a discounted rate, or reducing their hotel costs.   Make sure that all of our visiting volunteers feel welcomed and get the best treatment Washington can give!