To chronicle the community’s response to the tornadoes and to assist in raising funds for those most affected by the disaster, the Cleveland Daily Banner published a special edition, “Road to Recovery — The First 30 Days,” on May 27.
One hundred percent of the proceeds from the project — approximately $8,000 — have been donated to the Bradley County Long-Term Recovery Organization’s fund for disaster relief.
A limited number of the “Road to Recovery” editions is still available at the Banner for $1, with proceeds to go to the recovery fund.
The special edition was a “tribute to Cleveland and Bradley County, the resiliency of its residents and the willingness of its people to help others,” noted Stephen Crass, editor and publisher of the Banner.
The deadly tornadoes, ranging in strength from EF1 to EF4, claimed the lives of nine, injured many more in the community, destroyed 285 homes and damaged more than 300 others.
The edition included news stories, human interest features, photographs and editorials.
The edition was a collaborative project of the Banner staff, who assembled materials for the edition; AbitibiBowater Newsprint Calhoun Operations, which donated heavyweight paper for the project; and Neely Printing Co., which designed signs to showcase distribution sites.
