Logan Wargo of Cub Scout Pack 280 holds a sign to get customers to donate for tornado victims in Southwest Missouri on May 17 in Rota, Spain. (Paul Cage / U.S. Navy)
While Logan Wargo experienced a Spain spring day with high temps of 65 degress and partly cloudy skies on May 10, his grandparents and relatives in Missouri lived through a deadly tornado.
"There are a lot of people there who lost land and property, like my grandma and grandpa. My mom suggested the idea and that’s why we are here, to help those people who need it," Logan, a Webolos in Cub Scout Pack 280 at Naval Station Rota, Spain, said about a weekend fundraiser held at the base Navy Exchange.
On May 10, a category F4 tornado blew through Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, including near Seneca, Mo., where Logan’s grandparents live. The storm killed 23 people in the three states and injured about 180 others, according to news reports.
A category F4 includes winds measuring 207-260 mph and causes devastating damage, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Web site.
Logan’s grandparents and other relatives survived by hiding in a bedroom. While their house was only slightly damaged, their neighbors’ homes were destroyed and forest trees toppled.
"[The tragedy] really hit close to home," Logan’s his mother, Vicki Wargo, said in a statement. "In the Scouts, we teach the kids about community service. Generally, they do it for badges. But this time it was to help people who really need it."
Logan, friend and fellow Scout Naryon Thomas, and the boys’ mothers joined in selling pastries for donations at the NEX Mall on May 17 – and the foursome raised $575.
The money will be sent to the Racine and Neosho areas of Missouri, where local churches will buy items victims lost in the aftermath of the deadly tornado.
"Even though we are in Spain, we saw people in need and we decided to help," Logan said. "Helping people, that is what Cub Scouts do."
