GOSHEN, Ohio — Volunteers from across Southern Ohio are converging on Goshen this weekend to help clean up after Wednesday’s devastating tornado. It damaged hundreds of homes and injured two people.
Joining the cleanup mission, an Army veteran who brought along his three young sons. Matthew Curtis and his boys are members of Crossroads Church in Mason, which brought dozens of volunteers to help clear downed trees.
“God likes it when we do this stuff and it’s fun,” said Maddox Curtis, working alongside younger brothers Maxwell and Otto. While the boys enjoyed the work, their dad made sure they knew they were doing serious business.
“There’s terrible things that happen in this world,” Curtis said. ”If we’re capable of helping someone and making their lives a little bit easier, that’s what we want to do.”
The boys said the volunteer work made them more grateful the tornado passed by their community, but they feel sorry for the people of Goshen.
“I’m happy that we have a house and sad that other people don’t have houses and lost a bunch of stuff in the tornado,” Maddox said.
That’s not the only lesson their father had in mind when he planned the day of volunteering.
“I want my boys to learn that that’s what community is (volunteering) and that’s how you guys need to treat other people.”
The Curtises and the other volunteers impressed the locals.
“It’s just [an] amazing community. So many different entities have come together today to support everyone that has been impacted by this horrible tornado,” said Shannon Risner of the Clermont Co. Water Resources. “We haven’t seen anything like this in our area, so it’s just really moving.”
Curtis said it’s a lesson in karma:
“I’m just teaching my boys at a young age that hey, if you guys have the capabilities to help other people, then go do that because eventually, one day, you’re gonna need help and you want people to show up,” he said.
