On Thursday, Jan. 2, just days after an EF-1 tornado ravaged the downtown area in the city of Athens, Alabama Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter and Alabama Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger came together to assess the damage left in the wake of the Saturday night, Dec. 28, storm.

“The slogan Mayor (Ronnie) Marks told me was ‘Athens Strong,’ and I don’t think there’s any doubt about that,” Ledbetter said at a press conference at Athens City Hall following his tour through the city. “The people in this community have done a great job at rising up to clean up the community and keep it going. If there’s anything that they need, I can assure you that we are going to try and help them. We are going to do everything we can to make sure that Athens is made whole — and that’s the reason we are here today.”

The pair united in Athens after representatives Danny Crawford and Andy Whitt, members of the Limestone County Legislative Delegation, asked the pair to visit the small businesses and prominent city markers that experienced the most wind and rain damage.

“I appreciate the efforts of the volunteers — and all of the county and city workers — who have been absolutely tremendous through this tough time,” Crawford said. “We are still going through this tough time, so It’s going to take a lot of cooperation at the state level and continued support from the public to guide us through this.”

Several community leaders joined Ledbetter, Gudger, Crawford and Whitt on the tour that was led by Athens Main Street Executive Director Tere Richardson — who led the group through the city’s rebuilding efforts around the square as they met with the business owners left reeling after the storm.

“Downtown Athens is open for business,” Richardson stated. “Many of our local shops, restaurants and services are ready to welcome customers. However, some businesses are still recovering from storm-related disruptions, and they will need our support in the coming days and weeks. Our small businesses are the heart of our community, and together, we can help them overcome this storm. Let’s continue to rally together and show the resilience and spirit that makes Athens truly special.”

Some of the other individuals who joined in the tour included; Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks, Limestone County Commission Chairman Collin Daly, City Councilman Chris Seibert and Limestone County Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin.

“Time and again, I’ve witnessed the incredible spirit of this community as we’ve faced adversity together,” McLaughliin stated in a release to the public. “Whether through hardship, loss or challenge, we always show what true resilience looks like. In times of crisis, we always come together to lift each other up, offer help and never back down. We will continue to face any challenge, knowing we are stronger when we stand together.”

The tour concluded at the Alabama Veterans Museum and Archives, where the group of community leaders witnessed the impact of the tornado first hand — as the recently opened park and nearby buildings were left almost completely flattened by the storm.

“The good news is everyone was safe, of course our park got demolished, but we can always rebuild,” Museum Director Sandy Thompson told The News Courier. “Nobody got hurt and nothing inside the museum got damaged. We will clean up, replace the helicopter and we will be okay.”

Following the tour, at the subsequent press conference, both Ledbetter and Gudger reassured the community that they have the full support of both the State House and State Senate to rebuild Athens.

“You can tell that the people of Limestone County have the strength and the willpower to not only bring this community back to where it was — but to make it better,” Gudger said. “We are going to build back better, we are going to build back stronger, we are going to build back so that this place is the best place in North Alabama to live, work, play and worship.”