Hundreds of volunteers flock to Andover, Kansas, to help clean up after tornado

Volunteers filled Andover United Methodist Church Tuesday to help clean up after an EF-3 tornado hit the town last Friday.
Hopeful volunteers filled Andover United Methodist Church on Tuesday to help clean up after a tornado shook the town over the weekend.

Organizers estimate more than 500 people signed up to volunteer. Some volunteered on behalf of groups like churches or McConnell Air Force Base, while others showed up to help on their own accord.

Rev. Hollie Tapley is a disaster response coordinator for the Great Plains United Methodist Conference. She came into town from Topeka over the weekend to help organize the volunteer efforts.

“You know, we’re working around weather this week, which is not helping at all,” she said. “So today is really the first time that we could even get volunteers out.”