A retired tree contractor of 50 years, one of the features that attracted Tim Pinson to the Oakwood Subdivision in Aroma Park was the neighborhood’s numerous trees.

Now, 10 years after Tim and his wife, Karen, moved into the tight-knit community of boaters and nature lovers, their house is in ruin, with a large tree impaling the roof, after an EF-3 intensity tornado caused one death and widespread property destruction in the area.

Trees have become a source of stress and a reminder of the ordeal the couple endured.

Taking a look around in any direction on Elmwood Drive, an almost immeasurable amount of tree trunks and branches are strewn about, remnants of the tornado’s immense power.

“We moved here because we’re just in love with the big oak trees, and of course, we love the house too, but the trees were a major part of it for me,” Tim said. ”Now to see the whole neighborhood destroyed, it’ll never be the same for me.

“We are retired; we may end up rebuilding and then just moving on. I don’t want to live in the neighborhood looking like this.”

During the March 10 tornado, Tim and Karen huddled together in a 3-by-3-foot closet adjacent to their garage after strong winds prevented them from being able to open their cellar door to take shelter.

With the amount of damage their home sustained, it felt miraculous that they were unharmed. He noted, of all the home damage, the crucifixes hanging on their walls were untouched.

“If you had a freight train going 100 miles an hour, and the whole train was all engines, and your nose was this close [an inch] to the train, that’s what it sounded like,” Tim said. “... You don’t just hear the tornado. You can hear the house being ripped apart.”

The family said they were informed they didn’t qualify for Federal Emergency Management Agency relief.

Their insurance company is providing $1,500 to remove debris, which will barely scratch the surface of work needed, while some of their neighbors are getting just $500.

Fortunately, volunteers and public works crews have been working around the clock to restore some order to the area.

“It’s been really wonderful to see the community come together the way they have,” Tim said, noting that up to 20 volunteers have stopped by to offer help in a single day.

Team Rubicon, a veteran-led volunteer organization that responds to disasters internationally, has been leading efforts to clean up debris and get residents access back into their homes.

God’s Pit Crew, a nonprofit disaster relief organization, has also sent volunteers to remove large, damaged trees from homes and install emergency roof tarps.

“Scenes like this are heartbreaking, but we know that hope begins when people show up to serve,” said Chris Chiles, God’s Pit Crew Immediate Response Director, in a news release.

Both volunteer groups are slated to be in the community through March 28.

Mo Kerrigan, a member of the field leadership team for Team Rubicon, has been coordinating efforts of up to 30 volunteers each day.

The organization is led by military veterans, but many of the volunteers are former firefighters, police or first responders.

“Those of us that were first responders and military, we just wanted to continue our sense of service,” said Kerrigan, a retired 30-year police officer from the northwest Chicago suburbs.

On Oakwood Drive, a short walk from the Pinson residence, Kerrigan was leading a team of volunteers on Wednesday with chainsaws and other heavy equipment to cut down and remove fallen trees.

By the middle of last week, Team Rubicon had completed roughly 22 work orders and moved about 54,000 cubic feet of debris so far.

They have helped residents to get in and out of their driveways, removed debris from roofs, installed tarps on top of houses, and helped clear debris from roadways for public works crews to pick up.

“If the world behaved the way it does the first couple of days after a disaster, it’d be a much better place to live,” said Kerrigan, who has been volunteering with Team Rubicon for almost five years.

Team Rubicon has been staying at Immanuel Baptist Church.

The crew has been walking around to ask who is in need of help, prioritizing those with the most damage.

Kerrigan said the group is looking to help as many people as they can while they are in the area.

“We’ve talked to all different types of homeowners,” Kerrigan said. “Some have lost everything; others are grateful that they don’t have more damage.”

While it is difficult to compare disasters, the Aroma Park and Kankakee tornado stands out as a densely populated area that took a lot of damage, she said.

“You guys got devastated, and we’re happy we’re able to help [the community] start back on the road to recovery,” she said.

To request assistance from Team Rubicon at no cost, call 469-953-7446, or visit TeamRubiconUSA.org for more information.

For those wishing to support God’s Pit Crew’s ongoing disaster relief efforts, donations can be made by visiting GodsPitCrew.org or calling (434) 836-4472.