Little Sioux, IA - The air is crisp and humid as hundreds gather Sunday morning at the Little Sioux Boy Scout Ranch.  They are there for the dedication of a memorial chapel, a chapel built by the hands of survivors.  

A song fills the north valley.  Emotional words are sung to scouts, firefighters, survivors and the parents of four young scouts who died last June.  Their lives were cut short when a powerful tornado ripped through  the camp.  One of those boys is Ben Petrzilka.  His mother Arnelle, has spent countless hours volunteering at the ranch.  She says the chapel has a special place in her heart, "The chapel means we have a place to keep our tears and we still have them. And everybody who's lost anybody has them. We're not the only ones."   

Tears from tragedies like September 11, 2001, the Greensburg, Kansas tornado, wildfires to hurricanes and now the Little Sioux tornado. These survivors are united by "The New York Says Thank You Foundation", created by Jeff Parness.  Parness says the volunteers are the best example of Americans, "It's about people coming together no matter how bad the tragedy was no matter how hard we've all been kicked down, we come back up stronger."

Built from Cedar trees, the chapel is more than a building.  It's a part of history. Petrzilka says, "You can't do anything else with this spot. You can't change it, you can't build on it. This is the only thing you can do because this is where he is, this is where God is."

"The New York Says Thank You Foundation" began transforming the sacred site on Friday.  Parness says the work is tough but well worth it. "It's something so special and so historic.  But I think even more important than the wood and even more important than the transformation of the wood, is just the transformation of people's hearts."  Several of the boys who survived the tornado helped nail each plank of wood.  "We had some of the kids who were here that night nail up a piece of steel from The World Trade Center onto the chapel and it's the ultimate symbol that we overcome."

The small piece of New York history is nailed above small wind chimes at the top of the chapel as a symbol of strength. Tiny trees surround the chapel. Planted for those who've died, the trees bear their names on plaques.

New York City resident Robert Gurman spent his weekend working on a trail at Little Sioux.  It's a path he says was inspired by Arnell Petrzilka. "She gave it a really great name, 'Walks With Great Spirit' when she finally came up and saw what we'd done. And that's really beautiful."  The father says working with Petrzilka will always stay with him. "She said, 'You came into our darkness and pulled us into your light.' and I just thought that was an incredibly beautiful thing to say."

The New York Says Thank You Foundation means more than words can describe for Petrzilka. She'll forever share a bond with them, one that won't be broken.  "The firefighters,"  she says, "they didn't have to do this, they didn't have to come into our lives, but they did."

Reported By: Liz Dorland; ldorland@action3news.com