Somber day for Joplin tornado survivors

>> south in joplin , missouri, it was a day of hard work with significant numbers of veterans who served on the front likes pitching in to help here at home now. ron allen is in joplin again tonight where it has been an especially somber memorial day . ron, good evening.

>> reporter: good evening to you, kate. a holiday full of hard work here. searching for more victims here while the survivors clear away the debris and keep trying to rebuild their lives. there's a significant number of veterans who live in the community. some hit hard by the storm, and some still willing and ready to serve.

>> we've got a request --

>> reporter: joe sorento saw the horrors of three wars in 27 years of services, but this retired master sergeant is in awe of what he's seen in joplin .

>> i have been in bombed areas. this is indescribable, what is happening in the neighborhoods. this one brought tears to my eyes.

>> reporter: he has a squad offering 4,000 meals a day to the homeless.

>> if i can touch a heart out there, my day is done.

>> reporter: dave and mary baker reopened their flower shop with a generator and a strong message. there will be dozens of lives lost in the weeks to come.

>> we're part of the community and people need us. this is one way we can serve.

>> during his president, president obama promised the federal government would help joplin recover any step of the way.

>> this is a national trag aleied. that means there will be a national response.

>> and he always praised the community for coming together. they paused here at 5:01 on sunday, exactly one week from the storm. a week that witnessed countless acts of neighbor helping neighbor and strangers becoming friends.

>> couldn't tell you where everyone is from.

>> dave brown , an army veteran, flies his flags on the hill where he is going to rebuild his house.

>> once our neighbors see that and see the old church on the hill is restanding, we're rebuilding, too.

>> reporter: about 8,000 buildings were decimated here. so many homes destroyed that fema now says it may have to bring in some of the temporary trails, and late today, they announced the search for survivors will soon officially end unless there's a miracle.

>> we can only hope. ron allen , thanks.