Hesston Public Library

Digital Special Collections

Livengood Story
Collection: Tornado Stories

Title

Livengood Story

Scroll down to view the document; press Ctrl+F (Windows) or Cmd+F (Mac) to search within the PDF file.

Subject

Tornadoes--Hesston (Kan.)

Description

Account by nine-year old, Hannah Livengood, published in Story Friends, January 20, 1991.

Creator

Livengood, Hannah

Publisher

Hesston Public Library

Date

1/1/1991

Format

application/pdf

Language

English

Type

Essays

Narratives

Identifier

TornadoStories_Livengood.pdf


Do you know something more about this item? See something that isn't quite right? Please post your comments and corrections below:

Allowed tags: <p>, <a>, <em>, <strong>, <ul>, <ol>, <li>


Citation
Livengood, Hannah, “Livengood Story,” Hesston Public Library, accessed December 7, 2024, https://hesston.digitalsckls.info/item/121.
Text

January 1991 in 4 parts Part 3 for January 20, 1991
The Tornado
By Hannah Livengood Photos supplied by the author
Hi! My name is Hannah Livengood. I am nine years old. I live in Hesston, Kansas, with my parents, Ken and Gale, and my big brother, Cory. Cory is twelve.
On March 13, 1990, a tornado hit our house. The weather was warm and sunny so Cory and I were outside playing with our friends. Someone had a radio that gave the weather and police reports. First they said, “Harvey County
Hannah and her family
(where I live) is under a tornado watch.” Next they said “Harvey County is under a tornado warning!” Cory and I ran to the house and told Mom. She was baking cookies because Cory’s birthday was the next day. Dad was getting ready to go out because our family was invited to eat with friends. Suddenly we heard the siren blow. We stood on the porch for a while and watched the black clouds coming. Then we heard the second siren. We quickly went next door because we didn’t have a basement. (In a tornado a basement is the safest place.) We stood upstairs with our neighbors and watched the tornado for a while. Then we went to the downstairs bathroom and closed the door. We all prayed. Soon there was no electricity. We heard crashing and banging! My ears felt weird like the tornado was going to suck them up.
Suddenly it was very still and quiet. Thank God we were all together! We went upstairs. First I saw the car, then the house. I cried. People hugged us. I had butterflies in my stomach. The police and ambulance came to see that everyone was out of the buildings and was okay. Many of our friends came to
Hannah cried when she saw her car and house.
see us and our house.
Soon the police said, “There is another tornado watch. Clear the streets.” Because our friends, the Chupps, were standing with us, we went with them to their house. When we got there Amy and I tried to keep our minds on Barbie dolls but we couldn’t. Leanna, a college girl who was also at the Chupps, was listening to a headset. We went to the basement. Finally we heard an all clear signal.
Randall and Cindy Loucks, friends from our church, called and offered us a place to stay. Dad and Mr. Chupp had gone over to our house to try and get some things out of the rain so Mr. Loucks came to get Mom, Cory, and me. Everything was dark because there was still no electricity. Cindy had supper for us but I couldn’t eat. I was too sad. When Dad came from the house he
brought some of our things in a bag. He had one of my dolls. I was so happy! I cleaned the insulation and mud off of her.
I went to bed in a nightgown I borrowed from Amy but I didn’t sleep much. No one in our family slept much. During the night I remembered Cory's fish and wondered what had happened to it.
The next day was cleanup day and Cory’s birthday. My friends helped me sort through the pile of stuff in my room. There was no ceiling or back wall in our rooms. Everything was muddy, wet, and covered with insulation, glass, plaster, and wood splinters. Many people helped us move our things. Our goldfish was still living even though the fishbowl had been pierced with something and had only one inch of water left.
That evening everyone was tired and dirty but we had moved all of our belongings into Loucks’ basement and some garages. We lived in Loucks’ basement for three months. Many people helped us with gifts of money, toys, and clothing. Then we bought a house on another street in Hesston.
I am not worried about another tornado because the sirens are across the street. But if I hear them I know where to go.
Tornadoes are not fun like in the Wizard of Oz. I found that out.
Hannah and Matt Kauffman sorting through Hannah’s belongings.
Hannah and her friend Amy work together.
When
Hannah's story “The Tornado” is the first story in a series called
“When I Am Afraid_______” On the
third Sunday of every month you will find stories written by girls and boys (ages 4-9) telling of times when they were afraid.
Most people are afraid sometimes. If you want to write a story about a time when you were afraid, here is what you do.
1. Think of a time when something really scary happened to you.
2. Write about it just as though you were telling your friends.
3. Use about 100 or 150 words to tell your story.
4. Read your story to your parents or teacher to see if they like it.
5. Send your story, with a school photo of yourself, to:
STORY FRIENDS
616 Walnut Ave.
Scottdale, PA 15683
January 21-27
The Gold Coins
Read Luke 19:11-13, 15-22
In the story Jesus told, a man who wanted to be king gave a gold coin to each of his ten servants and then went away for awhile. You can tell the story to your family or friends using real coins. Explain that the first servant took his responsibility seriously. Show the coin he got. Then show that because he was faithful in using what he had, he received ten more coins. Show ten more coins. Use coins to show what happened with the second and third servants as well. Jesus told the story because he wanted us to know that it is important to be faithful in everything we
The following photo and information were sent in by Aldine Musser of the Bethany Mennonite Church, Bridgewater Comers, Vermont Crystal Musser (8), Sam Moyer (4), Sheri Musser (6), and Heather Hawkes (9), are the children in the photo from left to right.
In Sunday school we read the stories from the book “God’s Family” written by Eve B. MacMaster. Each child drew a picture of the story each week
The church had scrap material from a Women’s Sewing group, which we used.
do, no matter how little it seems. In Charlotte Zolotow’s The Quarreling Book, we discover how many people suffer when Daddy forgets to kiss Mother good-bye. Later we see how many people feel happy because the dog licks the little boy. Check The Quarreling Book out of the library. Read it with your family. Then write your own book. Show how many people will be sad if you forget to pick up your toys, make your bed, smile, say thank you or I’m sorry. How many will be happy if you remember to do these things?
Whoever is faithful in small matters will be faithful in large ones.
Luke 16:10
STORY FRIENDS Marjorie Waybill, Editor Vol. 86, No. 1 A story paper for children 4 to 9. Published monthly in weekly parts by the Mennonite Publishing House, at 616 Walnut Ave., Scottdale, Pennsylvania 15683-1999. (ISSN 0039-2006)
Mail materials intended for publication to the editor. Send subscriptions to the Mennonite Publishing House, 616 Walnut Ave., Scottdale, PA 15683-1999. Subscription rates (in U.S. dollars): single rates $10.00 a year, $18.70 for two years, and $27.40 three years: yearly group rates (minimum of five subscriptions)—club $9.50 and bulk $8.50; and $2.30 a quarter (minimum of two subscriptions). Sample copies available upon request. Copyright ® 1991 by Mennonite Publishing House.

Original Format

article in periodical