CHESAPEAKE — When Kim Day, Chesapeake High School guidance counselor, heard about the tornado that racked eastern Kentucky, her interest was more than curiosity. One of those towns that was the hardest hit — West Liberty — is the home of Day’s sister and brother, Susan May and Joe Lester. That devastation was March 3.

The next weekend Day and other members of her Chesapeake family were down in Morgan County helping with the massive cleanup.

“I had seen a lot of pictures on Facebook and on the news, but when we drove in there, it was much worse,” Day said. “It was much more devastating than I was anticipating. You don’t understand the force. … two by eights were shot into the ground and you could hardly get them out. Sheets of metal roofing, 20 feet, 30 feet wrapped around poles.”

While Day’s siblings’ homes were not destroyed, there was still damage that had to be cleaned up.

“We spent all day Saturday cleaning up her lawn with glass and shingles,” she said. “She has to replace her roof and there was a tree that went through the porch. It was a tiring day, but one of the most rewarding days.”

Now Day is asking the Chesapeake community to reach out to those stricken and the response has overwhelmed her. All three schools are collecting items to go to the tornado victims and containers there are being filled with everything from diapers to soap.

“In the beginning they were needing food,” she said. “Now that they are allowed to start the cleaning process it’s wheelbarrows, rakes, work gloves. When you have family there, you felt you needed to do something for them. I have a message here from someone I don’t even know who has clothes to donate. All I did in the beginning was send out a message to the staff here. They took it from here.”