CINCINNATI, Ark.
--
Two pieces of twisted metal found in the aftermath of the deadly EF3 tornado that hit eastern Oklahoma and Northwest Arkansas is helping residents in their rebuilding process.
The metal is part of the Cincinnati volunteer fire department's sign that was blown away in the storm.
"I was down at the fire department helping clean up, and my sister and I were cleaning up the stuff and there was only one section of the sign there," said Roger Lawrence, a Bentonville resident who grew up in Cincinnati.
"I haven't lived there in 40 years, but I have a lot of fond memories there," he said.
When Lawrence heard that part of the missing sign was in Bentonville, he began investigating. He said he read in the local newspaper where a piece of the sign was and learned it was just blocks from his Bentonville home.
Lawrence picked up the sign and delivered it into the right hands. He said several Cincinnati residents celebrated with smiles and pictures.
"It was like a long lost son or something," Lawrence said. "They just felt good about it."
But he wasn't the only one to find a piece of the twisted metal.
"It was all crumpled up, and we stomped it out so we could read it," said Meloni Carter, whose co-worker found the second piece of the missing sign behind their Bentonville business.
They called 40/29 News and eventually got in touch with the fire department, who wanted to claim their lost sign.
"He was just so happy and thankful," Carter said. "Very, very thankful because they want to put this in the Cincinnati Fire Department that they'll rebuild."
Lawrence said even thought he doesn't live in Cincinnati anymore, he knows getting the battered signs back home will help in the re-building process.
"Its like a part of their community," he said. "It's their sign. It's where it belongs, and I'm just glad we got it back."
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