Greensburg

by Chris Durden Sunday marks one year since an EF-5 tornado scattered lives and debris across three western Kansas counties. Tornadoes killed 11 people in Greensburg and two more elsewhere. Much of the debris is now gone, replaced with solar panels, tinted windows and a new sense of purpose. Greensburg took its name to heart and after the storm became the first community in America to go "green". Greensburg GreenTown Planet Green Many homes, almost all businesses, even City Hall will have wind turbines, water-saving toilets and other energy-efficient technology.

That first day of school excitement was there, but their old school wasn't. "I mean your senior year is already pretty chaotic with everything you have to do but I didn't know if it would be worse," Says Greensburg Senior Jarrett Schaef. He and his 17 classmates showed up for school on August 15th, not knowing what to expect. Since that day they've learned how to weave their way through their temporary school and weave their way through the challenges it created. Jarrett adds, "After everything that's happened we could just slack off and not work hard in class.

They roll up looking like they're off to school. And while the groups of teenagers are learning lessons, they're here because they want to be, not because they have to be. "It's kind of fun, something to do during spring break. "One church group from Indiana is in town organizing books that have been donated to the city. One of hundreds of jobs available for the hundreds of volunteers who come to town each month. "It makes you feel good, like just that you can help everyone," says one volunteer. Volunteer coordinator Matt Deighton estimates thousand of volunteers have worked almost 60-thousand hours.

"When we all take shelter in the basement, bathtub or closet... God is here. " Barely old enough to read those words, six year-old Grace Lang has a strong connection to the book their written in.  Grace continues to read, "When lights go out and sirens sound...God is here. " Not only is the book about the tornado she heard so much about last year, but all the words on the pages were written by her mom, and all the pictures were drawn by her. "I thought that was really cool to actually finally illustrate a book.

It's a constant reminder of how far they've come. The picture that hangs above their couch shows all that was left of the Hosheit's Greensburg home last May. "Right afterwards we didn't know for sure...we thought we would probably leave," explains Stacey.  But it only took a few days for the Kiowa County natives to decide their time in Greensburg wouldn't end with pictures of rubble.  "We just feel like a part of the town. Our kids were born and raised here. The kids expressed early they didn't want to leave and that added to the pressure of us deciding to stay in Greensburg," says Brandon.

As we move toward the one-year anniversary of the devastating tornado that leveled Greensburg, we want to hear from you.  Tell us how the tornado affected you and what you've learned as the town works to rebuild.  You'll find a message board at the bottom of this page.  If you have pictures you'd like to share, send them to stormshots@kwch.com .  I had only been working in KWCH's Dodge City Newsroom for about a week when the Greensburg tornado hit. One of my managers called me about 10:00 that night and told me that the town had some damage and I should head east and check it out. I had no idea what to expect since all the phone lines were down and there was no way to get information.

(CBS) Nearly a year ago, Greensburg, Kan. took a direct hit from a powerful F-5 tornado, the worst kind there is. It packed 200 mile per hour winds, and virtually flattened the little town. But residents never lost hope and decided to rebuild. All this week, The Early Show , in partnership with the Discovery's Planet Green (launching on June 4), is in Greensburg, pitching in, and chronicling the comeback. You can watch videos and follow CBS Early Show coverage by clicking the link below.

by CBS News and Megahn Snyder This Sunday will mark one year since an EF5 tornado hit Greensburg. The twister wiped out the town. Residents lost everything. The community is still rebuilding and people who still live there say the Federal Emergency Management Agency was a lot of help. Residents who live in FEMA trailers call the area Femaville. It is where many Greensburg residents live now. Missy Hesser calls one of the temporary houses home. She says, "If FEMA wasn't here, if FEMA hadn't come in Greensburg wouldn't be here.

She calls landscaping her art and she wants to create a masterpiece for the city of Greensburg. Theresa Cavanaugh is going from nursery to nursery and greenhouse to greenhouse collecting bits of color to brighten the tornado torn city. "There are no trees and there are no plants and there is no beauty anymore and I think that that is part of the healing process of rebuilding. " Theresa's trips between all five donators have nothing on the trip she'll make on Saturday.

by Jim Grawe His first visit was to offer comfort and hope to this town ripped apart by a killer tornado.  His next visit will be to see how Greensburg is sprouting back to life and congratulate Greensburg's senior class for weathering the storm. "He is usually at college graduations," says senior David Cesmat.  "He's never at high school graduations so I think that's a major honor. " "The president coming is huge," says senior Eric White.  "Not many people get to say the sitting President came to their graduation.