Doug MacGregor aids victims of Florida tornadoes

Moved by the damage he saw after multiple tornadoes ripped their way through Central Florida, News-Press Editorial Cartoonist Doug MacGregor loaded his car with water, granola bars, toilet paper and a chain-saw and took off to find a way to help alleviate those devastated by nature.

“There were three tornados south, from what I’m told. It picks and chooses where the damage is. There’s this church on U.S. 441 â?? it’s the one making all the news â?? they’re the one that lost the church completely. It’s the Lady Lake Church of God. They still had a church service on Sunday, believe it or not, right on site. Rev. Larry Lynn conducted the service.”

“I went not too far from the staging area â?? there’s a Lady Lake United Methodist Church â?? I pulled in. They were on their way to help members of the church that had damage â?? I’ve been helping them. I followed them to help the oldest lady in the church congregation. There’s not so much damage to her house. I brought a chainsaw and helped cut the trees. Her name is Eleanor Raitz.”

“A neighbor of hers â?? a 20-year-old boy â?? lost his life. The Daytona Red Cross is looking for relatives to do a condolence visit.”

Asked why he went:

Just because it was worse than I first thought it was. When you hear about tornados you think about damage to mobile homes. This thing went across the state â?? it starts not too far from I-75 and goes all the way across the Daytona area.

I’ve heard oft recited expression of an editorial cartoonists’ duty is to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted, but I would advocate that Doug showed the most effective way to accomplished that. Thanks Doug for your good works.