Hoping to lend a hand in the aftermath of the devastating tornado that hit Joplin, Mo., Parker resident Josh Saunders put together a team to help clean up what was left of the Missouri town.

Saunders, an Expedia senior market manager in Denver, organized employees with the company from Colorado, Arizona, California and Missouri, to participate in two days of service on June 30 and July 1. Saunders was already in Springfield, Mo., an hour from Joplin when he decided to volunteer with the clean up.

“Since we were just an hour away, we decided we could find a way to go down there and help,” he said. “Employees in Springfield had already been spending weekends helping out, so we figured we could put some time in too.”

Saunders had seen photos of the devastation left by the tornado, but being in Joplin in person was another story. He said the photos don’t do the damage justice. It’s hard for him to describe what he saw, parts of a town leveled to the ground after the horrific tornado.

“You can drive through a neighborhood and you will see 50-foot trees,” Saunders said. “And then for several miles you don’t see a tree at all.”

Saunders and his group were assigned to help a man, whose wife and son died in the tornado, clear rubble from the area of what used to be his home. The man asked the group to save any family photos they found. He also asked them to keep an out out for coins, which his son collected.

“It was hard because we would find photos of people, but nobody knew who they were because they had been blown from all over the place,” Saunders said. “But the man was so thankful for our help. Everyone was, they kept telling us thank you, often getting teary eyed.”

Saunders said his time in Joplin was a humbling experience. He saw the community rally to help out everyone with no complaining, just a “get-it-done” attitude.

“We live in a great country where people from all over come together to help others. It’s amazing,” he said. “Being in Joplin just reminded me of how blessed I am.”