JOPLIN, Mo. — Six months after an EF5 tornado ravaged Joplin, Mo., on May 22, residents gathered together to reflect on the loss and to note the quickly moving rebuild.

Hundreds of residents gathered at what was once an icon of the storm’s wrath: Cunningham Park, newly remodeled and just across the street from the destroyed St. John’s hospital.

With an American flag flying behind them, and a monument with the city’s proud motto, “Miracle of the Human Spirit” standing in the distance, local officials reflected on the significant change in the city over the last six months.

“The storm shook Joplin to the core, but it’s rock — its foundation of faith — could not be moved,” said Gov. Jay Nixon, reflecting on the quickness of the recovery and rebuild in the days and months since the tornado. “In Joplin, the sun rises every day on a different place, and sets every night on a better place.”

Still, there is work to be done. More than 8,000 homes and businesses were destroyed by the storm, and though construction progressed quickly in the summer months, it will undoubtedly slow in the winter.

Nixon said it is important for Joplin residents to stick together during the winter months.

“Make a double batch of chili and share it with a neighbor. Take time to thank the teachers playing back-stop for your kids. Remember those still grieving, who may need a willing ear,” he said.

Since May 22, more than 113,000 volunteers have contributed more than 688,700 hours to the city’s recovery efforts. Nixon said in time, he expects Joplin to return the favor for communities hit by disasters in the future.

In the months since the storm, the city has removed nearly three million cubic yards of debris, most of which was removed by early August through a federal program.