Celebrity Sheryl Crow and More Continue to Raise Money for Joplin, Missouri

Joplin, Missouri was hit by a tornado in May. If you are not from the area, or know someone in the area, it can be easy to forget. Residents of the town cannot forget. Neither can Missouri natives. People of all walks of life have been coming together to continue putting their city back together.

This was not just any tornado. It was the deadliest tornado the United States has seen in more than 60 years. The May 22 tornado took 159 lives and destroyed about 30 percent of Joplin. In a city of around 50,000, 159 were killed and more than 7,000 houses were destroyed.

Missouri native, Sheryl Crow has not forgotten her home state. She announced that the proceeds from her vintage Mercedes-Benz 190 SL Roadster is slated to rebuild ten Joplin area schools. "After the tornado in Joplin I was moved to help rebuild a city so close to where I grew up in Missouri," Crow said in announcing the donation Monday. Crow grew up in Kennett in southeast Missouri. She was also a teacher before becoming a star.

The auction house, Gooding & Company estimated the car's actual value between $50,000 to $80,000. When it goes up on August 22, 2011, the car has the potential to go for much more. Between the connection to Sheryl Crow and the good cause, hopefully someone at the Pebble Beach, California auction will be moved to purchase it for top dollar. Crow will make an appearance on Jay Leno before the auction to raise awareness, and possibly find a buyer since Leno is an avid car collector.

Other celebrities with connections to Joplin include, Brad Pitt and his partner Angelina Jolie who made a $500,000 donation. Pitt spent a portion of his childhood in Joplin, Missouri. Taylor Swift contributed $750,000 almost immediately after the disaster hit.

Ray's Boathouse in Seattle Washington also raised money for the city. Owner Peter Birk and friend Mike Chase, a chef with Tuxedos and Tennis are both from Joplin. Their fundraiser added another $22,000 to the relief efforts.

On a personal note, my neighbor has just returned from an extended trip to Missouri to aid in relief. Not only are her roots in Missouri, many of her friends and family are still in the area. The city still needs a lot of help and will for a long time.

Exhibition games, concerts and more are still being planned to raise money for the area. Check out the different creative ideas and jump in on the action. Whether you qualify to join the Joplin Expats group, or simply want to help, let's not forget the citizens of Missouri.
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