It has by no means been easy, but the people of Glenvill have come a long way in the last year.

Since the day a tornado hit the city one year ago, all the fallen branches and scattered shingles have been cleared, and broken buildings have been either cleared out of the way or resurrected. Residents have even used the occasion as a way to put beautification plans on the table, hoping to leave Glenville better than it was when the storm hit.

Some would say it’s already there. Somebody who visited the town a year and a day ago would be surprised at the changes if they visited again today; some buildings that were not needed are gone now, and others that were in use have been built into new or expanded versions of their former selves. There are fewer trees, but a group of citizens plans to help address that by planting some next weekend.

Many in town will tell you they did all this without much help from emergency programs. Surely, all are appreciative of the help they got from neighboring areas and agencies like the Red Cross right after the disaster, but working with federal programs since then has been more of a headache for many.

But Glenville, for the most part, has pulled through and used this disaster as a way to better itself. It’s a good example of how people can make the best of a bad situation if they are determined enough.