The Daily News

A benefit for a Tyler family who lost their farm to a tornado is being held Sept. 9 at the Eagles Club, Wahpeton.

David and Kathy Langenwalter lost three garages, shops and other buildings on their 118-year-old family farm after a strong tornado swept through the area in August. The house is still standing but inhabitable, so the family is planning to either move back and rebuild or buy a home and move it out there, said Kathy Langenwalter.

"The worst is just not knowing what we're going to do next," she said. "We don't want to make any major decisions until we know what insurance will cover."

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The couple is currently staying with a relative and will spend the winter in the house of some friends. In the past three weeks, at least 100 visitors have brought food to the family and helped clean the farmstead. A couple of cards were sent to the bank for the benefit from people they didn't know, she said.

When the tornado struck, Langenwalter and two of the children were at a music festival near Detroit Lakes, Minn. The only clothing they currently own is what they had in their suitcase for the trip. Joseph, 11, didn't have as much damage in his room, so they were able to salvage most of his clothing, said Langenwalter.

"People keep asking us if they can give us stuff, but we don't know where we're going to live yet,” she said, adding they have no storage. “I just keep have no storage. “I just keep telling them to wait until springtime, when we know more."

Langenwalter, who returned to work this week, said a daily routine has been helpful for the whole family. Her husband returned to Richland County Implement and three of her children went back to college and school.

"When I see what they lost, (I think) how devastating that must be for a family to go through that," said Renee Langenwalter, a relative and one of the benefit coordinators. "I think that their courage through all of this has been just amazing."

In an emergency situation such as this one, Kathy Langenwalter said she appreciates living in a community this small.

"So many people come out and help, even people you don't know," she said. "If something like this happens, they stop and give you encouragement. I'm sure if this happened to us in a bigger community, we wouldn't have nearly as much support."

Richland County Implement and Titan Machinery initiated the benefit to help David Langenwalter, an employee of Richland Implement for the past 25 years.

"We just want to do everything we can to help him get back on his feet," said Frank Hegseth, store manager.

A spaghetti dinner, bake sale and silent auction will be held between 5-8 p.m. at the Eagles.

A freewill donation will be accepted at the door and visitors can check out the "David & Kathy Langenwalter Family Benefit" page on Facebook.

Residents can also donate to a benefit fund for Al and Mary Kosel, who also had damage from the tornado, at two Bremer Bank locations - 1618 Commerce St., Wahpeton, ND 58075 and 235 5th St. N., Breckenridge, MN 56520.

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