It was just one day. But the deadly tornadoes that struck on April 27, 2011 not only dramatically altered Alabama’s landscape, they also changed the people who experienced their incredible fury.

Four years later, NewsCenter is remembering that day – and looking forward – with reports from four communities hit hard by the tornadoes. Our third report is from Dadeville.

Joe Smith holding the china that was left untouched after the storms tore through Dadeville in April 2011.

Dadeville, with a population of roughly 1,900, is known as a quiet, picturesque community on the shores of Lake Martin.

Joe Smith has been here most of his life. Before becoming mayor in 1973, he served as the county’s sheriff for several years. Helping others in times of need has always been a part of who he is.

But it was the other way around after his home took a direct hit from a tornado on April 27, 2011. That evening, he and wife Joyce were sitting at home when they received a call from their son warning of a tornado heading directly toward them. They had just enough time to get to their safe place when the tornado hit. It took only seconds for the mayor’s home, vehicles and 9-acre property to be wiped clean.

The Smiths spent the next year and a half living with their son while rebuilding their house. And while the red brick, shiny tile, and fresh paint tells a story of new beginnings, an antique cabinet in the kitchen, lined with china, reminds Smith of what came before.

“The winds blew the walls and roof apart, but the china cabinet did not move an inch,” he said.

Smith recently lost his beloved Joyce. But the china cabinet, and what’s inside, remains an enduring symbol for him and his family, and of their lives before and after the tornado. Despite the devastation of April 27, not a single piece of china that Joe and Joyce received as a wedding gift more than 52 years ago is missing, or even cracked.

Same storm, different location

Damage at Camp ASCCA shows how the April 2011 storms toppled trees. The organization serves children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities.

On the other side of Dadeville, the same storm that destroyed the Smith home also ran straight through the local campus of Camp ASCCA, an organization that serves children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities. In just moments the camp known for its hundreds of towering pines and quaint cabins, was gone; the land left broken and bare.

Camp ASCCA’s sign covered in brush just after the deadly tornadoes touched down.

Four years later, another nonprofit organization has made the land a home for its mission.

New Water Ministries operates a farm and meeting facility. The organization not only helps teach ordinary folks how to start churches in their own communities and around the world, they also demonstrate and equip people to apply sustainable farming techniques that are consistent with Christian scripture. And they also sell what they produce, including fresh fruit, baked goods and honey, to support the mission.

Outside groups can also use New Water Ministries’ facilities for events, participate in volunteer workdays and enjoy farm-to-table dinner gatherings.

The property is still a work in progress. Signs of the historic storm are still evident, but so are the indications of how the earth heals over time. The 2.5 acres of production zones are lush with blackberries and blueberries, apple, pear and fig trees.

Ashley Hoppers, the facility’s horticulturist, helps keep the property vibrant and growing. “New Water aims at refreshing the heart of those who visit,” she said.

Although the scars from the storm of April 27, 2011 are still in sight, New Water and the people of Dadeville are proving that hard work and faith can transform lives and restore hope for a better tomorrow.

–Jacki Lyn Thacker