As some of you may already know, the tornado last Saturday wreaked some pretty frightful devastation in Etowah County. The community around Macedonia Baptist Church in Coates Bend - the church where I grew up - was hit very hard. No one was killed, but several were injured, and a lot of people have lost everything. My mother, who still lives in the area, tells me that it looks like a war zone - there are cars in trees, appliances in trees, pieces of houses scattered everywhere. Mom, thank God, is fine, as are the rest of my relatives. What I'm getting to here is, please remember these folks in your prayers. And if you can find it in your hearts to give a little extra here at Christmas, please remember the Red Cross. These people are doing an incredible job here in Alabama. Thank you. Mary Ann Raley-Hudson P.S. In case you're wondering why I posted this to the Cherokee County list, Etowah was formed from part of Cherokee until 1866. A lot of the Cherokee County roots are now in Etowah County.