MORRISVILLE – When tragedy strikes, volunteers who have dedicated their lives to public service are the first to take charge in offering assistance to the misfortunes of their neighbors, and often times that set of morals follows emergency personnel off the clock.

When Madison County emergency crews responded to an area ravaged by a confirmed F-1 tornado on July 8, they simply worked together like they had on so many other calls. The deadly tornado that claimed four lives is now serving as a means to unite a community in a time of peril.

Shortly after the completion of the search and rescue mission was over, these men and women decided that they needed to band together collectively yet again to make a difference for everyone impacted in the area; and thus the Smithfield Relief Benefit was born.

Madison county has always been fortunate enough to have emergency responders willing to help each other at a moment’s notice, to do whatever they can to make a difference. The front that spurned the Smithfield tornado left a path of destruction and a call for help went out.