Our state and country have reached out to help the families affected by wednesdays tornado. Wdbj7s Amanda Kenney is live in appommatox county. Amanda, theres an easy way others can help . Yes, kimberly. Donations can help tremendously. Clean up efforts have been great, but dont forget local leaders are asking everyone to stay out of the impacted areas because they are still unsafe. Many homes has been heavily damaged or destroyed so families are without a place to stay. So, the red cross is collecting financial donations. You can write check to the red cross, and specifiy the appomatox disaster to ensure the money will go towards the victims here. Ive also seen some go fund me pages that have been created to help the tornado. Nonperishable supply donations are being accepted at a couple locations. The appomatox Community Center and libery baptist church. If youre in lynchburg and want to help, you can bring nonperishable food, bottled water, clothing, cleaning supplies to any lynchburg fire station and they will make sure it gets to victims here in appomatox county. Back here at the appomatox Community Center, shentel has placed a mobile hot spot. And cell phone chargers are being made accessible to the public. And kimberly, we have all the information on how you can help on our website, wdbj7. Com the deadly tornado in appomattox left its wake of destruction and now the community is left to pick up the pieces. To salvage whatever they can for the families affected by the storm. Power crews were also out working to restore power to the area. Members of the humanitarian group, gleaning for the world, were out making sure volunteers and victims had enough supples. Volunteers said they cant help but be touched by the stories they see in the piles of debris. Travis smith the Community Needs to come together. People need to band together to help one another. Thats something thats going to be real important in these next couple of days. Gods pit crew plans to send a truck full of relief supples to appomattox this morning. Volunteers are also traveling from danville to tappahannock. Appomattox county has set up a help line for anyone in the area that needs assistance after yesterdays tornado. That number is 4343522637. Leo says itll be a quieter weekend. Here he is with his first alert weekend quieter conditions should see a good amount of sunshine as well heres you weather almanac for today average high right around fifty two degrees average low thirty two so far this year just over eight inches of rain and snow melt all combined so numbers there were arty almost 3 inches above where we should be for this time beard is a lot of snow a lot a rain is been falling us over last several weeks and you can you notice the ground still saturated so with the gusty winds still not out of the question for trickortreaters come down with an isolated pocket of a power outage thirty three ronald thirty three 33 lexington actual temperature blacksburg 3028 with bill twenty one hot springs danville little bit warmer at thirty eight degrees still finding some snow showers in the mountains one little band try to drive into giles county right now maybe a few flurries other places so just beware you heading out about some of the western communities over the mountains a West Virginia might find some slick spots this morning now heres information on the Tornadoes National Weather Service sent out there survey teens they reported strength and the backs the Patrick County storm near in around at or ararat strengthening he at one with estimated winds between ninety five toward hundred and five miles an hour at the widest part of the tornado about half mile wide and a travel for just about one. Eight miles over toward appomattox county was a be at three storm is estimated winds between one hundred thirty six hundred sixty five miles an hours about four hundred yards wide and its path point was incredible thirteen miles thats long gone of course temperatures warming up today low to mid forties and we will have quieter weather to continue with the cleanup there we are finding some snow showers in the mountains but as highpressure builds in those will diminish winds will slowly slacken and we will see warmer weather by the end of the week you forecast for this friday gusty winds mostly sunny temperatures pretty much in the thirties and forties maybe a little warmer martinsville danville. Both around 46 had out tonight will partly cloudy skies been be on teens and 20s and your first alert wtvj seven day planner where in the 40s saturday 63 sunday monday and tuesday hovering in the low sixties and then a frontal boundary comes through wednesday with a few showers and storms knocking temperatures back down into the 40s by are receiving. As wdbj7s shayne dwyer shows us, some of the biggest support comes from those closest to home. This evergreen get overlooked but now its hard to look away, this photo will tell the tale for decades, destruction now reality. Then we got out and all of our houses were destroyed, completely destroyed. Four homes stood on debbie garretts property. Now one, the one that saved her familys lives. And community is the only thing keeping them alive now. We all went to granny bs in appomattox fantastic restaurant, they gave us our breakfast on the house as i was sitting there one of the waitresses me a 100 dollar bill and said this is from one of our customers sorry then as i was customer walked by me shook that hand, a 20 dollar bill. Fewer people live north across route 460 , but the tornado still obliterated everything in its path. Total devestation, everything pretty much destroyed. Damien baileys family came home to halfa House Wednesday night. Thursday morning brought a kitchen with a view to the heavens, and a search for beloved diamond earings. Ive been on the Fire Department for the last 15 years and responded to other peoples disasters and you always kind of hope that it doesnt happen to you, and it just hurts when it happens to you. Among so much destruction, tears, and sorrow, one thing is standing taller than ever community pride. Thank you appomattox, thank you ems, thank you state, local sheriff deputies, rescue and fire, if it wasnt for them i dont know where we would be now. In appomattox dwyer wdbj7. In southern appomattox county, wednesdays tornado destroyed a 120yearold church. Winds tore the steeple off Central Baptist Church and dropped the ruins about a quarter mile away. The brick facade was peeled off and stained glass windows are mangled. Yesterday morning volunteers, including the Football Team from appomattox county high school, helped clean up the damage. Barbara arnold its devastating. Even if they rebuild, its still not going to be the same church, and im sure they will rebuild. The church was insured. Appomattox leaders are encouraging people to stay out of areas impacted by the tornado. A ef 1 tornado tore through Patrick County destroying trees and homes in ararat. Yesterday, crews were busy working to clean up along ararat highway. Vdot and the National Guard were called in to help. Patrick county board of supervisors chairman is thanking the emts and fire and rescue teams who responded so quickly after the people to safety. Roger hayden, chairman, patrick co board of supervisors, it really bothers me to see this place damaged and the agony of the people but luckily no one was injuried or killed in this episode so, ya know that was a blessing. Law enforcement will have a strong presence in Patrick County at least through weekend. There are still some gusty winds out there this morning, so make sure youre careful on the roads. Well have your latest ihometown traffic report, next. And, hundreds of people are without a job after recent layoffs at volvo. How the community is coming together to the case for long. Near 41. Icy patches in bland, grayson and tazewell counties. Even the main roads are slick in those areas. Were also seeing flooding throughout our area, and downed trees will be a problem. Appomattox county drivers are urged to stay off the roads if possible because of dangerous conditions. Underground Electrical Work could slow you down in lexington. The intersection of North Randolph street and East Washington street will be closed from nine this morning to three this afternoon. Drivers are asked to go a different way. This is a live look at route 58 in south boston from a Virginia Department of transportation camera. Were not seeing any accidents or major issues there so far this morning. About 600 people are newly unemployed in the new river valley. Volvo layed them off this month. Thats about 22 percent of the 28 hundred workers the company had before the layoffs at the dublin plant. To the community it was a big blow. Wdbj7s justin their neighbors are giving them a helping hand in tonights special report. At the new River CommunityAction Office in pulaski sarah gray and her staff are helping people who have found themselves in a tough financial bind. Sarah gray new River Community action i do emergency assistance, food pantry, and housing counseling. Were here when they need us. Recently it seems more people call, needing urgent help. Gray is expecting the next few weeks to be busy. Sarah gray there are not too many people in Pulaski County who dont know or are related to somebody who works at volvo. So its something that hits close to home. Her staff was prepared when the announcement came december first hundreds of people would lose their jobs. The town is no stranger to massive layoffs. Its happened many times before. In this community its not a question of if, but when. The Rapid Response team at new River Community college started aligning area businesses who are hunting for workers as soon as the announcement came from volvo. Its beckie coxs job 34 counties and cities with new careers. Beckie cox Western RegionRapid Response coordinator that is the goal. To put them back to work in businesses and high demand occupations where they can earn a sustainable wage. The federally funded Program Helps businesses with the layoffs and the people affected ease the transition between jobs and training for new work. A week ago she partnered with virginia workforce for this job fair in dublin only for those laid off volvo workers. Chris pender was there to sign people up for commercial drivers license training. Chris pender cds tractor trailer training these are people that were generating a pay check, providing for their family, and now theyre going through a struggle. Thats what were here to do is help them gain employment. Help to find work doesnt end here. You can find a link on wdbj7. Com to this Rapid Response website a onestopshop specifically for the former volvo workers. It provides resources like resume workshops and connections with career professionals. While this team helps with long term goals, new river overcome short term emergencies like paying for rent. Sarah gray and also reaching out to them as far as their utility costs or any medical expenses. The Fast Response from organizations like this one in the new river valley is keeping people out of the unemployment line for long. Sarah gray hand as best we can and the beauty of being in Pulaski County is people in Pulaski County just want to help their neighbors. In Pulaski County, justin ward, wdbj7 its finally friday, and that means its time to plan some down time. Weve got a list of some local events, coming up in your weekend planner. And the president ial election isnt the only one happening in november. After the break, well introduce you to a local College Student who wants to make sure people know whos in the race for the 5th district. Sundaytemperature starting off in the twenties and thirties across erie right now its thirty three ronald thirty six alanna head up toward new york city reporting a temperature of thirty three degrees looking out from lane, stadium on the campus of Virginia Tech in blacksburg Montgomery County cloudy conditions maybe a few flurries still possible temperature at thirty 30 but would that west northwest wind feeling like its only in the upper teens deftly dress accordingly visibility not an issue this morning and youll see those clouds breaking up today most of the snow back into the mountains a West Virginia and maybe some of the border counties would West Virginia as well. Watch out for slick spots in those areas heres the virginia tornado reports National WeatherService Offices all through the area when out to do their surveys in our area we had the at her ararat tornado in Patrick County at one also appomattox in around the evergreen region and ef three just outside of our region Mecklenburg County heading tf1 virginia also heading out to resell six tornado so far confirmed in our region and our commonwealth we are finding sunshine as we head through the afternoon temperatures topping out upper thirties to low forties today and you do notice the snow showers in around the region they will dwindle today we have that dryer air building in from the west of it should shut down we should start see those clouds breaking up as well a few more clouds tonight meaning into the area and then over the weekend should see a good amount of sunshine would just some fairweather clouds from time to time and temperatures deftly warming up you forecast for this friday would talk about gusty winds mostly sunny temperatures into the thirties and forties pretty much across the board head out tonight chilly again partly cloudy breezy just not windy lows in the teens and twenties and your first alert wtvj seven day planner forty seven saturday lots of sunshine 63 on sunday low sixties monday and tuesday and then a chance for few showers will a you a you home decor at a fraction of the cost. Screening of the labyrinth. Its saturday at 3 pm at the Lyric Theatre in blacksburg. When you think of a police chase, you probably think of cars on the road. But that certainly want the case in california recently. Well explain, next. And, astronaut scott kelly talks about what hes looking forward to most after spending almost a year in space. Keeping our weather bug quiz question on a tornado things can a educate you about how many tornadoes strike the United States annually for the entire continental us is at five 500 on average 1000 on average or about 2000 your answer comingim Hillary Clinton and i approve this message. Her lifes work has been about breaking barriers. And so would her presidency. Which is why, for every american whos not being paid what theyre worth. And there are far too many of you she understands that our country cant reach its potential. Unless we all do. Together. Its not too unusual to hear about a police chase unless of course officers are chasing this it looks like a unicorn. The mythical creature turned out to be a pony who was the guest star at a Birthday Party in california. But the pony got loose and darted out onto a busy road. Officers say there were a few close calls, but no one was hurt. The unicorn was finally found in a nearby orchard and after nearly a year in space, scott kelly is just a few days away from returning to earth and he cant wait. In his final News Conference from the International Space station yesterday, kelly said the toughest thing is being isolated from loved ones. He says he cant wait to jump in his pool and dine at a real table with loved ones. Kelly will have been in space for 340 consecutive days, a u. S. Record. He will check out of the space station tuesday. Wdbj7s Amanda Kenney is back in appomattox county this morning. Shell have an update from one of the shelters, plus, how much Progress Power crews have made. Democrats and republicans are battling it out over how to fill the spot on the Supreme Court, after the death of justice antonin scalia. Why Senate Democrats took their frustration to the steps of the high court. And in hometown health, were finding out how effective this is. Friday. Im garrett turner. And im kimberly mcbroom. There are a few School Announcements this morning. You can see those at the top of your screen. We continue our coverage this morning on the aftermath of wednesdays tornado in appomatox. Emergency shelters are open to victims affected by the tornado. Wdbj7s Amanda Kenney is live at one of those shelters this morning. Good morning, kimberly and garrett. Here at the appomatox Community Center, only one person sleeping along with workers from social services and the red cross. But they tell me people have been coming in and out of the shelter since wednesday. The dont expect are looking for a place to stay long term. But they can get you some hot water and take you to the Fire Department if you need a shower. Wednesdays tornado not only damaged and de