“Phil-ing” a Need

“When the tornado hit, this trip went from

being whimsical to necessary.”

Phil Campbell, Coffs Harbor, Australia

  AP Photo

This spring when tornados cut a swath through the South, the small town of Phil Campbell, Alabama (population 1,057) was not spared. An EF5 tornado with winds 210 mph ravaged the town, leveling houses and killing 28. After the storm, residents faced the heartrending task of picking up and putting it all back together again. But they didn’t face it alone. The town has a fan club, and all of the members go by the name of Phil Campbell.

Phil Campbell, Alabama was settled in the 1880s and named after the railroad engineer who put a train depot in the town. For the last 15 years or so, Phil Campbells from across the country and around the world have come to visit their namesake, sometimes by themselves and sometimes as a group. The town keeps a guest registry of all the Phils who’ve visited.

This year, the town’s 100th anniversary, was supposed to be special. A celebration was slated and Phils from around the world made plans to attend. All that changed with the storm. The Phils didn’t want to celebrate in the aftermath of the tragedy, but they didn’t want to stay away, either. So 18 of them from England, Scotland, Australia, and across the United States showed up to help. They pitched in to clean up the community center where the Phils first held a picnic in 1995. And with the help of friends and Phils who couldn’t travel to Alabama, they’ve raised $40,000 to help with the rebuilding. Faced with devastation all around them, townsfolk in Phil Campbell, Alabama have found a fulfilling friendship with their namesake neighbors.

Read the Article ® Phil Campbells bring support to tornado-stricken namesake town

Click on the link below for an NPR interview with the mayor of Phil Campbell, Alabama, and Phil Campbell from Brooklyn, New York, who organized the Phils’ relief effort and fundraiser.

Phil Campbell celebration turns into fundraiser for twister-ravaged town