TOLEDO, Ohio — Point Place and Shoreland residents came together once again on Monday to remember the events following the tornado that hit the area on June 15.
The Community Watch Group held its first community picnic, and this year, it was held in honor of everyone who pitched in to help with storm relief and rescue.
Carole Miller said downed power lines and trees left her and her husband trapped inside their home.
She said first responders and county leaders, including Toledo City Council member Theresa Morris, found their way through the debris to help them clean up and bring them resources like food, water and cell service.
"Our lives were very much changed," Miller, who is a member of the Point Place and Shoreland Community Watch, said. "We were out of electricity for four days, so, life stopped and then life changed."
Miller said with the help of five other members of the watch, she formed a committee to host the Heroes' Picnic at Friendship Park Community Center.
Washington Township Fire Chief Ron Kay said it continues to be an honor to serve the community and he was excited to see agencies from other areas pitch in when it counts.
"To see how everybody came together, all the different agencies that came together, was pretty incredible," Kay said. "County, city and township officials, fire and police, all the Lucas County Emergency Management Agency personnel came here. They brought a lot of resources to us and that's where things really started to come together."
John Kaminski, the assistant chief of the Toledo Fire & Rescue Department, said he believes the picnic is also about healing and is a reminder that the recovery process is ongoing.
"For some of these people, that's the worst day of their life and it's hard to imagine that if you don't live here and you weren't a part of that," Kaminski said. "This is a part of the healing process so anything we can do to support them and get through this process, we are happy to do and we are honored to be a part of that process."
Around 40 certificates were handed out to local officials who offered their assistance to the community following the storm. One certificate was presented to the residents and will hang inside of the Friendship Park Community Center.
The block watch said they are proud of the residents who helped their neighbors following the aftermath of the tornado.