MONTEREY — Two days after a tornado devastated Moore, Okla., Monterey residents began taking action to help the victims rebuild.

Monterey residents sent 1,200 hygiene kits — including razors, shaving cream, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, cleaning wipes, water and a friendly note — to tornado victims in Moore, Okla. two weeks ago.

The effort to aid tornado victims began when local businesses expressed interest in creating care packages. Businesses called the Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office outpost in Monterey. Then, the sheriff’s office began organizing a relief effort.

On Wednesday, May 22, 60 volunteers loaded the hygiene kits into trailers before Monterey residents Tommy Henslee and Johnny Cowan drove nine hours, to Oklahoma City.

Cowan said they weren’t the only concerned Americans.

“We saw other trucks just like us, pulling trailers full of supplies,” he said. “Once we got there, we unloaded our stuff into a big warehouse. Everyone was really upbeat and working hard.”

As they left the warehouse, Cowan said concerned citizens continued to bring in supplies.

During their journey, the Monterey pair passed through the tornado’s path.

“In my years of serving in the military, I’ve seen villages bombed, but I’ve never seen anything as destroyed,” he said. “There were just piles of rubble 5-feet deep. There was even grass pulled out of the ground.”

Mother nature didn’t stop with Moore. Another tornado struck Oklahoma City shortly after.

The second tornado hit close to home for Cowan.

“My son had to lay down in a field and ride the tornado out,” he said.

The Monterey community plans to donate again. Cowan said members of the First Baptist Church in Monterey are planning to give a monetary donation to residents of Oklahoma City.

“I think now they need money,” he said. “People have to buy groceries and pay the bills. Hygiene kits can only go so far.”