Tuesday Storm Damages Winona Business
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
A maple tree on the gallery's west side fell on the business's roof Tuesday evening, according to Steve Johnson, owner of Two Red Chairs Gallery, 720 E. Canal St.
Johnson was driving home to Granger from work with his wife Linda Tuesday evening when he received a phone call from the gallery's security company.[[In-content Ad]]"My wife and I had seen evidence of high winds as we drove through Nappanee and Milford, so I had a gut feeling something had hit our business, causing the security alarm to go off," Johnson said.
He said the maple tree came through the roof on the building's west side above a classroom where art courses are taught.
"I was teaching an oil painting and drawing class just two hours earlier in the classroom where the tree came through the roof," Johnson said.
He said he was glad no one was in the building at the time the tree fell through the gallery's roof, and no artwork was damaged.
Clay's Tree Service cut parts of the tree Tuesday night, and will need to use a crane to lift the remaining parts of the tree.
A cost of damage assessment also will need to be conducted, Johnson said.
Tuesday's incident isn't the first time the same tree has come through the gallery's roof.
Three years ago, the top of the tree came through the building's roof, but this time the whole tree came through the roof, Johnson said.
"We thank the shop owners who were quick to move the items to safety during Tuesday's incident," Johnson said.
Carolyn Stoll-Shanklin, owner of Eagle Creek Farms Market, 802 Park Avenue, was one of the first Winona Lake business owners to arrive at the gallery after seeing the tree on top of the business.
She assisted other business owners before the Johnson's returned, helping remove desks, chairs, teaching books and art work for a children's exhibit that was stored in the classroom.
Linda's sister, Sandy, husband Mack, and nephew Trevor live in Milford and let the business owners in the store to begin cleaning up the room.
The furniture was moved to the gallery's studio, where it remained Wednesday afternoon.
Johnson said he will use some of the wood to create furniture.
Shanklin said her business also was effected by the storm.
Her business lost power at 6 p.m. Tuesday night and wasn't restored until 1 a.m. Wednesday.
The business sells cheese and meats, and the items had to be moved to another storage area on Center Street where the business formerly was located.
Gallery D, 801 E. Canal St., also lost power until 1 a.m., according to owner John Hawkins.
Ed Drudge, a NIPSCO worker, and two other employees fixed utility poles Wednesday afternoon and put new transformers and wires on poles along the alley by Court Street in Winona Lake.
He said trees fell on utility wires Tuesday night and damaged light poles, causing power outages in the town.
Drudge said there were five or six homes along Court Street still without power as of noon Wednesday.
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A maple tree on the gallery's west side fell on the business's roof Tuesday evening, according to Steve Johnson, owner of Two Red Chairs Gallery, 720 E. Canal St.
Johnson was driving home to Granger from work with his wife Linda Tuesday evening when he received a phone call from the gallery's security company.[[In-content Ad]]"My wife and I had seen evidence of high winds as we drove through Nappanee and Milford, so I had a gut feeling something had hit our business, causing the security alarm to go off," Johnson said.
He said the maple tree came through the roof on the building's west side above a classroom where art courses are taught.
"I was teaching an oil painting and drawing class just two hours earlier in the classroom where the tree came through the roof," Johnson said.
He said he was glad no one was in the building at the time the tree fell through the gallery's roof, and no artwork was damaged.
Clay's Tree Service cut parts of the tree Tuesday night, and will need to use a crane to lift the remaining parts of the tree.
A cost of damage assessment also will need to be conducted, Johnson said.
Tuesday's incident isn't the first time the same tree has come through the gallery's roof.
Three years ago, the top of the tree came through the building's roof, but this time the whole tree came through the roof, Johnson said.
"We thank the shop owners who were quick to move the items to safety during Tuesday's incident," Johnson said.
Carolyn Stoll-Shanklin, owner of Eagle Creek Farms Market, 802 Park Avenue, was one of the first Winona Lake business owners to arrive at the gallery after seeing the tree on top of the business.
She assisted other business owners before the Johnson's returned, helping remove desks, chairs, teaching books and art work for a children's exhibit that was stored in the classroom.
Linda's sister, Sandy, husband Mack, and nephew Trevor live in Milford and let the business owners in the store to begin cleaning up the room.
The furniture was moved to the gallery's studio, where it remained Wednesday afternoon.
Johnson said he will use some of the wood to create furniture.
Shanklin said her business also was effected by the storm.
Her business lost power at 6 p.m. Tuesday night and wasn't restored until 1 a.m. Wednesday.
The business sells cheese and meats, and the items had to be moved to another storage area on Center Street where the business formerly was located.
Gallery D, 801 E. Canal St., also lost power until 1 a.m., according to owner John Hawkins.
Ed Drudge, a NIPSCO worker, and two other employees fixed utility poles Wednesday afternoon and put new transformers and wires on poles along the alley by Court Street in Winona Lake.
He said trees fell on utility wires Tuesday night and damaged light poles, causing power outages in the town.
Drudge said there were five or six homes along Court Street still without power as of noon Wednesday.
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