Johnny & Myrna have always been friends and great neighbors to our family. We farm and ranch near them and all throughout growing up I’ve driven right by their home place on the way to or from fields, Johnny & Myrna have always been there if me and my sister needed help with a tractor, or a pickup, or anything. Their place has always been a marker for us, either mentally counting down the miles left to get to where we’re headed, or as a common response to the “where you at” phone call amongst our family so we knew when to expect each other home in case of trouble…” oh I’m going by Johnny & Myrna’s.” 

The first time I drove by their place after the tornado happened, I saw Johnny on the phone, sitting in a storage container where his barn had once been. I couldn’t believe it….it was all gone. There was no more “Johnny & Myrna’s”. It was unrecognizable, there was nothing left. It made me a bit emotional - I couldn’t imagine my folks place flattened and blown to the wind. Just devastating. 

The DuValls have always been a kind and giving family in our community - they were one of the first to show up in Holly, CO after the F4 tornado took out a huge swath of town, with heavy equipment full of diesel and ready to get to work cleaning up, and I’m so thankful the community is giving back. 

Rural America is full of the most wonderful and generous people I’ve ever met, and that’s not just cause I was raised here. There are so many people who’ve gotten involved in this benefit and poured their blood, sweat, tears, and cash into giving back. I’m so honored to be a small of this and i encourage anyone who reads this, even if you can’t attend the concert, please consider donating to one of the funds established for raising money. Even if all you have is a couple bucks, it adds up. 

— Clare Dunn