The tornados that hit Nebraska and Iowa on April 26, 2024, were swift and destructive, leaving unimaginable devastation in their wake. The path crossed through a city many in the SCCA® are familiar with, with the Tire Rack SCCA Solo® National Championships calling Lincoln, NE, home since 2009. While Lincoln Airpark, the site where the Solo Nationals is hosted, was not affected, many businesses and homes were, leaving residents reeling.
“For the past15 years, Lincoln has been a second home to the Solo community, with many visiting Lincoln not only in September for the Solo Nats, but also in May for the Spring Nationals, so our hearts sank when we heard of the damage from these recent tornados,” said Rick Myers, SCCA’s Director of Rally/Solo. “We knew that many in the Solo community would want to help out in any way possible, so we began our search for organizations assisting with the recovery.”
Husker Athletics is selling “Nebraska Together” shirts for $25-$45 to raise money for relief efforts in the area, stating that all proceeds from the shirt sales will go to the Red Cross. Husker Athletics reports that a similar fundraising project of theirs raised $75,000 for flood victims in 2019.
Donate: Husker Athletics Shirt
Meanwhile, the United Way of the Midlands is well on its way to reaching its fundraising goal for this disaster – but as is the case with anything of this scale, more assistance is always needed.
As of the time of this writing, the United Way of the Midlands was less than $100,000 away from its $1 million goal – your donation will make a difference.
Donate: United Way of the Midlands
“Whether you choose to raise funds through Husker Athletics, the United Way of the Midlands, or a different organization, any donation you can make is greatly appreciated by not only those in Nebraska and Iowa, but also the entire Solo community that has enjoyed vacationing in Lincoln for the last decade and a half,” Myers added. “The entire Lincoln area is part of the Solo community, and we always do our best to support the community.”
Recovery in Oklahoma
Frederick, OK, is a familiar place for many autocrossers as well, as Frederick Regional Airport (where the WWII Airborne Demonstration Team is housed) played host to the fourth stop on this year’s Tire Rack SCCA ProSolo Series. Unfortunately, less than a month after the 2024 ProSolo took place there, a tornado struck the facility, blasting holes in buildings and destroying roofs and walls.
(Many who attended the ProSolo at Frederick Regional Airport will recognize the WWII Airborne Demonstration Team hangar. Unfortunately, tornados recently damaged that facility, but you can help with the repair efforts. Photo courtesy WWII Airborne Demonstration Team.)
“We are in the process [of] assessing and cleaning up the damage to our historic hangar at Frederick Army Air Field,” the WWII Airborne Demonstration Team wrote on their Facebook page. “If you’ve been following us, you know that our hangar suffered severe damage from a tornado that touched down in Tillman County, OK ... We need urgent donations to help us rebuild and keep operating so that our planned activities for 2024 can continue.”
Follow this link to find out more and to donate to the rebuilding process.
Lead photo by Jay Bonvouloir
