Salina holds cookout to thank tornado responders and community

SALINA, Okla. — The town of Salina came together Sunday afternoon to thank first responders, volunteers and community members who helped rebuild after a tornado hit last month.

Mayor Randall Plumlee said things are almost back to normal.

“It’s that part of togetherness. We’ve got to help each other rebuild our lives, rebuild the buildings and just get people's lives back together,” Plumlee said.

The town held a large cookout to show their gratitude. Town Clerk Katy Hanna organized the event with the help of community members.

"It was an idea everyone had but didn't know how to bring to fruition," Hanna said. "It's just a thank you to everybody in general that came out and donated their time. People missed work and gave up their jobs to come and help us."

Assistant Chief Hayley Goodman, the first person on the scene when the tornado hit, reflected on the community's resilience.

"It was just loud sirens, everything was destroyed. Within the next day, everything already seemed back to normal," Goodman said. "When we suffered through that tornado, we all came together. Even though we don't share the same blood, we are a community and we are a family."

The cookout was a celebration of the community's unity and hard work in the aftermath of a disaster.