Tornado Recovery: Ground broken for new Flatwood Community Center in Montgomery County

WAKA Action 8 News,

Posted: Nov 30, 2023 7:14 PM CST

Updated: Nov 30, 2023 7:15 PM CST

Thursday marks one year since an EF-2 tornado destroyed much of the Flatwood community, just north of Montgomery in Montgomery County. That storm, which hit at around 3AM, killed an eight-year-old boy and his mother and seriously injured his father.

Much of the community was destroyed, including the Flatwood Community Center.

Chiquita Broadnax, 39, and her son Cedarrius Tell, 8, were killed by the tornado in Montgomery County on Wednesday, November 30, 2022. Photo from Antonio Broadnax via ABC News

Today, ground was broken for a new $1 million community center as people work to rebuild their lives.

“It has made us realize that our purpose in this community is greater than just doing fundraising once a year and give them back to agencies that we have a bigger purpose in this community that we have a bigger obligation,” Jannah Bailey, president/CEO of the River Region United Way said at the groundbreaking ceremony

“I am grateful for my colleagues on the county commission for voting to appropriate the funds for this community center. This is $1 million project, and I pray that it looks like $1 million dollars when it’s finished,” Montgomery County Commissioner Isaiah Sankey said.

“I’d just like to emphasize that the work is still not done. You know, work has to be done We are very grateful for United Way and everybody that has put in to help us we thank you for Pastor Boyd for helping us through cause we didn’t anticipate that it just happened in the middle of the night,” Flatwood resident Dant’e McGhee said.

The new center is expected to be finished within a year.

It will feature meeting space, offices, a kitchen and computer lab. Future plans include senior activities, health & wellness classes and youth summer programs.