MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa — To this day, Iowans across the state are still picking up the pieces left over from the August 2020 derecho.
Debris and damages are still seen all around the Riverside Cemetery in Marshalltown.
Dorie Tammen, Riverside's general manager, said she thinks it will take years to restore the cemetery to what it was before.
"This is easily over $1 million. Our tree removal was almost that by itself, and we’re not done with that, and we have monuments to repair," said Tammen.
Tammen applied for federal assistance from FEMA, but was denied.
Back in April, Tammen said
The cemetery received a $20,000 grant for monument repairs because insurance doesn't cover it.
“We still owe $165,000 and we don’t have that type of money laying around," explained Tammen.
She said this is the most costly and destructive storm the cemetery has been through, including the EF3 tornado that ripped through the town in 2018.
Now, the cemetery is relying on donations to help pay for the continued cleanup.
You can also make a donation by calling 641-753-7891 to make a credit card donation or mail checks to 611 N Center St, Marshalltown, IA 50158. There is also a GoFundMe set up to help the cemetery.
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