People not only have lost their loved ones and suffered terrible injuries, but their homes, businesses and schools are destroyed too.

Sitting here feeling helpless, I wanted to do something other than just sending $$ to the Red Cross.  Not that I don't like the Red Cross, I just wanted to impact a "little guy" like me.  A small Mom and Pop business person. 

Here was my solution:

I went over the map of the damage, searched for a sub shop (that didn't get destroyed) and gave them a donation towards feeding our first responders.  Turns out the sub shop i called had already made 750 subs (ALL NIGHT) on their own dime just to get people fed.

 I spoke with the owner who took my credit card info to help pay for it.  This man was SO grateful.  Many who know me, know that I tend to shun religion and anything that has to do with it.  However, this guy is in Oklahoma, right in the bible belt, and he really believes that stuff with all of his soul.  With his voice cracking when he said "god BLESS you" I could feel the depth of his faith (and his pain), and i believe that he REALLY meant it.

He then was so kind as to send me photos of his employees making all those subs and some pics of our hero first responders.

If anyone else would like to help, here is the Sub Shop....ask for Scott, he is the owner:   

“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” 
― John Bunyan

Hawley announced this morning that the Genesee County communities will be included in an omnibus relief rquest to the Federal Inspection Team along with other counties recently damaged by severe weather events.

Federal relief requirements mandate that eligible areas damaged by storms must have at least 25 uninsured houses, or five damaged businesses, among other guidelines, which means Darien and Corfu alone may not qualify.

The single relief package would include Cattaraugus, Erie, Chautauqua & Allegheny counties, also hit by heavy storms recently, and Columbia, Rensaleer, Cortland and Chenango counties, which also suffered storm-related damage.

"We will continue to keep all residents and businesses who were adversely 
affected apprised of the progress regarding possible monetary assistance as a 
result of these catastrophic weather patterns of destruction," Hawley said in a statement.

It may take a lot of volunteers to clean up Darien and Corfu following last Saturday's category 1 tornado.

Bill Clark, regional director for New York's Emergency Management Office, didn't make that prediction, but if you add up what he told Corfu and Darien officials yesterday afternoon, that's what it sounds like.

In order to trigger state or federal assistance, there needs to be 25 uninsured homes in the disaster area, and in Darien and Corfu there weren't much more than 25 homes total that were damaged.  It's likely most of them were insured.  For SBA assistance to kick in, there needs to be five businesses damaged. There may be only three businesses damaged in the tornado. It's unclear if farms can be included in that count, or if they are a USDA issue.

Corfu Mayor Todd Skeet said volunteer efforts are under way and are ongoing, but doesn't think that will be enough. In the end, he's looking for his state to step up and provide assistance.

Out at Petals and Plants, the first stop for Clark and his survey group, Jim Grant, father of the business owner, said if his son doesn't get assistance to haul way the greenhouse debris and rebuild the greenhouses, the nursery and flower shop will not reopen. The greenhouses were not insured.

But Clark and his team did survey the entire tornado zone yesterday and will file a report with the governor's office. Clark stressed repeatedly the importance of gathering thorough and complete data as the best way to make a case for assistance. It will take some time before we know the results of the findings.

New York Governor David Paterson this afternoon made a quick visit to Corfu along with State Assemblyman Steve Hawley.

The governor spoke with Corfu Mayor Todd Skeet in front of the Pedals and Plants Greenhouse on Route 33, a business that was destroyed by Saturday’s twister.

Paterson made the stop in Genesee County earlier this afternoon while en-route today between appearances in Buffalo and Rochester.

LISTEN: Governor Paterson speaks to Corfu residents

UPDATE (by Howard, 9:55 p.m.): Tim Yaeger, emergency management coordinator for Genesee County, and I spoke shortly after the governor's visit. He said state emergency officials will tour Corfu tomorrow to further assess the damage and the needs.

"The costs go up on a daily basis," Yaeger said, but declined to speculate on the estimated total cost at this point. 

The clean up work involves debris strewn over a three-mail area, fallen trees, damaged trees that need to be cut down and stumps that need to be removed. Yaeger also said the apartment building next to Petals and Plants is no longer inhabitable and the residents are being assisted by Red Cross.

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Aerial photos of the destructive path of Saturday's tornado along Route 77 in Darien and Route 33 in Corfu. The photos were provided by the State Police and the Genesee County Emergency Management Office.

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Previously:

• Recap: Tornado strikes Corfu, damages homes and businesses, but no injuries reported
• Tornado hits Corfu, power lines down, Route 33 closed
• No injuries reported after tornado touches down in Corfu
• Corfu tornado videos submitted to YouTube
• Thunderstorm watch issued, nickel-sized hail expected
• Corfu tornado: Power lines down, buildings damaged, no injuries

Corfu this afternoon.