It has been a little more than a week since the tragedy occurred that struck the nearby towns of Henryville, Marysville, Pekin and the surrounding areas. Many homes, businesses and lives were destroyed on March 2 as tornados ripped through the Southern Indiana and Kentucky area. Although this natural disaster was such a heartbreaking and terrible occurrence, the overwhelming generosity and willingness to help from the surrounding community has restored my faith in humanity.

I will never forget Nov. 5, 2008. I remember crying tears of joy as President-elect Barack Obama gave his election victory speech on that cold Chicago night to more than 240,000 people. America —...