JOPLIN, Mo. -

For a service technician at Crossroads Chevrolet-Cadillac in Joplin, Mo., recovering from the horrific tornado that ripped apart the community last month became a little easier thanks to the dealership owner and generosity of volunteers.

Normally, Jason Moser spends his days reconditioning trade-ins to boost retail used-vehicle inventory at Crossroads Chevrolet-Cadillac. After the May 22 storm leveled much of the town — including his in-laws’ home — Moser has been balancing life at the dealership and trying to get his personal situation back in order, too, according to another posting on the Faces of GM blog.

General Motors recapped that Moser and his wife were in the closet in their son’s room, along with his son and their two dogs, as the killer storm tore through Joplin. When he emerged, GM said Moser found his street blocked at both ends by fallen trees and other debris and all the front windows of his home had been blown out.

The OEM indicated things got worse when Moser arrived at his in-laws’ house, and he saw a shell where his family members’ home once stood. Inside this shell, Moser’s disabled father-in-law was stuck in the bathtub where he rode out the storm.

A day after the twister, Moser’s challenge became greater than any vehicle reconditioning assignment — clearing the properties on 18th Street. But Moser hasn’t been alone.

“The ones that haven’t been directly affected have been more than willing to help those that have been,” Moser insisted.

Moser wasn’t able to return to Crossroads to resume his shop work for several days.

“From sun-up until sundown, you were out there with a chainsaw or an axe or a shovel or a rake, just trying to get everything back to where it could be cleaned up,” he recollected.

But Moser wasn’t worried about his dealership responsibilities because Dan Auffenberg, owner of the Crossroads dealership, “opened his wallet to us and helped us out and said if there’s anything else we do need, feel free to ask.”

Seeing Auffenberg’s response didn’t come as a surprise to a former customer. In response to the blog post, one former customer shared a sentiment probably gleaned from only a short stop at Crossroads Chevrolet-Cadillac.

“I am so glad that you posted this information. We stopped at the dealership last fall and got wonderful treatment. When the tornado hit Joplin, I was wondering what had happed to Crossroads and its employees. Our prayers go out to all of you. You have a wonderful dealership,” the customer posted.

The good fortunes connected with Moser’s recovery weren’t limited to Auffenberg and others from the dealership. The blog post also recapped how more assistance came Moser’s way when members of the Nazarene Church walked up and asked if he needed help.

Moser replied, “It’s just me. If you’d like to help, you’re more than welcome.”

GM highlighted that the next thing Moser saw was “20 people with chainsaws and a Bobcat (tractor). They saved me six months of work and took it down to just a couple of days.”

The automaker said Moser feels proud to be a part of a community that pitches in to help those in need and to work for a dealership like Crossroads Chevrolet-Cadillac.

The Crossroads dealership served as a collection point for community donations of clothes, water, food and money. Store personnel also have delivered these donations to churches and agencies in the area that then dispersed them to families in need.

Moser said the extent of the damage makes it difficult to escape the devastation, but he is energized because, “We know we’re going to be able to rebuild. It shows how strong the people of Joplin really are.”

The automaker wrapped up the blog post by recapping what it’s done to help in Joplin.

The GM Foundation has donated $100,000 to the relief effort and the company provided two 15-passenger vans for the “Children of the Storm” project sponsored by the Joplin Family YMCA.

Employees and UAW members at GM plants in Missouri and Kansas have added another $10,000.

And GM dealers in the area have chipped in a combined $80,000.

“Collectively, the General Motors family has contributed more than $250,000 to the Joplin relief efforts,” OEM officials calculated.

A video of Moser’s experience also is available online here.

Auto Remarketing’s previous report about the Joplin Crossroads Chevrolet-Cadillac can be found here.