Samaritan's Purse rushes to Alabama to help tornado victims

LEE COUNTY, Ala. — Volunteers from Samaritan’s Purse traveled to Lee County, Ala. after devastating tornadoes hit the Southeast over the weekend.

The Boone-based organization is working around the clock to clean up trees, remove debris, and patch roofs.

Edward Graham, son of Franklin Graham and grandson of Billy Graham spoke to NBC Charlotte via Skype from the ravaged area.

“We got volunteers assessing and doing work orders for homes we need to go to, and the homes we already have work orders for we’re going through and re-tarping, putting tarps on the roofs where they’re damaged and removing trees off of the houses and off the driveways in order to get the homeowners back in there,” he said.

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Graham has ties to the area. He’s with the 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, Ga., about 35 miles from Opelika, Ala.

“Lot of the rangers’ wives go to Auburn University or are just from this area.” he said. “Right in between here and the river is where my pastor lived and the church I went to there in Columbus, Ga., so I know the area well.”

Graham said chaplains from the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team were also in Lee County, helping first responders and homeowners being the healing process.

To learn about volunteer opportunities with Samaritan’s Purse, click this link or search “SP Volunteer” in your app store.