DUANESBURG, N.Y. -- The tattered yellow tape, marked with the words "CRIME SCENE," still hangs on the fence marking Peggy Krylowicz' property line.

"I don't remember the first couple days," says Peggy, standing on her front porch. "A lot that happened, you know, it was hard."

Her home along Route 20 in rural Schenectady County was not the scene of any crime in May 2014. Even if it was, there wouldn't have been much evidence left. The one-story ranch was ripped from its foundation and scattered over several acres just before Memorial Day Weekend.

It was an EF-3 tornado, packing 140 mile-per-hour winds, taht carved through western Schenectady County.

"I was picking up my grandson and daughter-in-law," said Peggy, who was not home when the twister blew through. "I got a phone call from my niece, asking me if I was okay. I asked 'Why?' and she said, 'Because your house is gone.'"

Elsewhere in Duanesburg, the damage was more cosmetic: after tearing Peggy's house apart, the tornado's strength was reduced to EF-1, but it was still enough to rip trees from the ground and tear a wall from the Duanesburg Volunteer Ambulance Corps At Cole Road and Route 7. Insurance would eventually cover most of the cost for repairs but the DVAC, as it's known, still received thousands of dollars in donations, including more than $8,000 the day after the tornado at its annually-scheduled coin drop.

"Within three weeks, people had mailed us donations. We had already collected $18,000," says Corps captain Peter Brodie. "It was absolutely wild."

In the days following the tornado, community volunteers and a team of military veterans also helped affected residents tear out fallen trees. Fire departments from several surrounding municipalities offered support and fill-in services.

A friend offered Peggy Krylowicz a temporary home for several months in nearby Princetown as her Route 20 house was rebuilt. She was moved back in by New Year's Eve.

Friday, on the one-year anniversary, local company Hannan's Paving & Sealing was laying down a brand-new driveway for her.

"Even though I lost everything, I think the best memory is the people," Peggy said Friday. "I can't say enough. It's the people."