Small business in Granger opens its doors for tornado victims

Granger residents are now cleaning up debris after tornadoes swept through the area Monday evening.

GRANGER, TEXAS - The City of Granger was among the several cities hit hard by the multiple tornadoes that hit the area. Among the victims was Gregory Shirocky.

"My wife called to come in and so I did. I got home and I saw the tornado coming," said Shirocky.

Granger is a city that thrives on the farming business. Shirocky is a farmer who plants corn and cotton. He was outside working on his farm equipment when he saw the twister.

"I said I hope it misses us. It missed us here in town, but it didn’t miss us out on the farm," he said.

Gregory and his family were safe, but his business was ruined.

"I know I have a lot of tractors that are in pretty bad shape. Most of the windows broke out of them, electronics and satellite systems were taken off of them. Wooden structures I had out there, they are completely gone. The metal structures got twisted up, bent all up," said Shirocky.

This disaster put a pause on his livelihood.

"It doesn’t sound bad, but you go buy a piece of equipment nowadays you’ll find out," he said.

Over the past few days he and volunteers have started cleaning up the debris.

"Right now I need to be replanting corn, and I don’t have a tractor to do it with. It’s damaged," he said.

Donations needed for Granger community after tornado sweeps through town

The small town of Granger is reeling from Monday's tornado with numerous homes destroyed. Local fire and police departments are taking donations.

But Granger victims are not alone in their recovery. The owner of Cotton Country Club and a group of volunteers are stepping in to help.

"We are just making sure that our residents here in Granger and all of those that are impacted, have meals, that they have the essentials that they need," said Jamie Church, owner of Cotton Country Club in Granger.

The group is giving out everything from toothbrushes, toothpaste, water and hot meals to anyone who needs it.

"They don’t have power, they don’t have a place, barbecue grills, they are gone. For them to come by and get a hot meal, some of them wanted to cry," said Bobby Withrow, volunteer.

As the community works to rebuild, neighbors like Jamie Church and Bobby Withrow are working to make sure that process is filled with love and compassion.

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