The Missouri Department of Insurance will welcome Joplin residents affected by the May 22 tornado to attend a Recovery Roundup workshop  on campus this weekend.

The Public Works Department, the Missouri Department of Economic Development, the Federal Emergency and Management Agency and the Division of Finance will be present to work with victims who have not received the whole of insurance settlements from claims filled after the storm.  

Travis Ford, the communications director for the Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registrations, has been working alongside relief teams since the disaster earlier this spring.

“The claims that are still left open 90 to 100 days after the fact are often the most difficult,” Ford says.

“We are here for the long haul, though, and we will take care of everyone who was affected.”  

The goal of the Recovery Roundup is to gather all those affected by the storm who have either filled insurance claims and have not recieved their full settlement, or whose claims contain discrepencies that are better dealt with face to face.

Ford noted that there are a lot of people who perhaps filed a claim but are trying to work on receiving as little as 20 percent of their settlement, and the agencies present will work with all cases to solve any problems that might arise.

Lynn Onstot, public information officer for the city of Joplin, says that the event is a concentrated effort to make a “one stop shop” for those who may be having difficulty after being affected by the storm.

“The city has invested a lot of interest in helping the community rebuild,” Onstot said.

“We recognize this area has suffered a great tragedy, and we hope that by working to coordinate information and provide assistance to those who attend will offer citizens some relief.”

Those residents who are interested in attending the event are welcome to come to the Billingsly Student Center on Southern’s campus from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow.

 There will be snacks and refreshments provided for all who attend, along with entertainment provided by the Recovery Roundup. Springfield Cardinals’ mascot “Louis the Springfield Cardinal” will also be in attendance.