Tornado victims Melissa and Kevin Meyers of Beach Lake can’t thank the community enough.
The young family of four was devastated when July’s tornado tore through their Dunn Road property, leveling some 1,000 trees. Six weeks later, they’re starting to see the light at the end of the tornado.
Having read of their plight in the paper, Chaz Augello, owner of Augello Excavating, Inc. of Honesdale, donated a day and a half use of an excavator and operator.
Employed by Augello Excavating, Bruce Avery spent 15 hours helping the Meyers. A family friend who graduated with her older brother, Avery went “above and beyond,” breaking only for lunch, Melissa said.
“He moved large logs for us (and) ripped large stumps out of the ground. Basically, he cleared the upper corner of our property,” she said.
Augello donated $1,500 to $2,000 worth of their services.
Saying he’d done excavating work for the Meyers in past when they put their home in five years ago, Augello said, “They are a good, nice, young couple. I know they’ve been working hard to make it through life and that was quite the kick they got ...When I actually read it in the paper, it just really bothered me and I wanted to help out.”
People have been there for him when he needed help, Augello said.
“When I had my (shop) fire in 2007 and saw that the community came out and helped me out, friends and neighbors and clients and people that I do business with, it gave me a good feeling,” Augello said. “And people helped out when my brother (Mark Augello) had his accident” in 2000.
“I see people giving every day and I just I want to be one of those people,” Augello said. “You just can’t take all of the time. We are lucky to live where we live.”
A clean-up party at the Meyers’ property Saturday was heavily attended. As many as 30 people showed up, including a large crew from Tobyhanna Biomed Unit where her husband works and another 10 volunteers from Asplundh Tree Service where her dad, Jim Ludwig and brother, Dan, are employed. With the help of heavy equipment from Marshall’s Machinery, rented at a discounted rate, they were able to accomplish a lot.
“How can I ever thank them?” she said of everyone involved.
Willie Reinfurt, Reinfurt Excavating of Honesdale, was out to the property Wednesday.
Personal friends of the Meyers, Reinfurt said the property has vastly changed from the once “wooded, private lot to a football field.” What was once a full, forested area is now an acre or two clearing with no trees, he said.
“I feel bad for them ...My personal time is going to be donated,” Reinfurt said.
An excavator and operator costs about $100 an hour, Reinfurt said. The nominal fee he’s charging is just enough to cover fuel and his employees’ hours.
With an excavator and dumptruck, Reinfurt and his crew will spend three to four, 10-hour days digging up stumps, filling in the holes, and grading the property. They’ll also be putting down seed and mulch to prevent erosion, he said.
Ginny Davitt, Davitt’s Nursery in Honesdale, surprised the Meyers with a gift certificate for new trees.
“We’re hoping on a lot of the native species to replant,” Melissa said, hoping to plant a number of seedlings. “We’re just concerned about re-creating the natural habitat.”
No matter that there’s still work to be done, Melissa says the view from her porch has improved dramatically.
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Tornado victims Melissa and Kevin Meyers of Beach Lake can’t thank the community enough.
The young family of four was devastated when July’s tornado tore through their Dunn Road property, leveling some 1,000 trees. Six weeks later, they’re starting to see the light at the end of the tornado.
Having read of their plight in the paper, Chaz Augello, owner of Augello Excavating, Inc. of Honesdale, donated a day and a half use of an excavator and operator.
Employed by Augello Excavating, Bruce Avery spent 15 hours helping the Meyers. A family friend who graduated with her older brother, Avery went “above and beyond,” breaking only for lunch, Melissa said.
“He moved large logs for us (and) ripped large stumps out of the ground. Basically, he cleared the upper corner of our property,” she said.
Augello donated $1,500 to $2,000 worth of their services.
Saying he’d done excavating work for the Meyers in past when they put their home in five years ago, Augello said, “They are a good, nice, young couple. I know they’ve been working hard to make it through life and that was quite the kick they got ...When I actually read it in the paper, it just really bothered me and I wanted to help out.”
People have been there for him when he needed help, Augello said.
“When I had my (shop) fire in 2007 and saw that the community came out and helped me out, friends and neighbors and clients and people that I do business with, it gave me a good feeling,” Augello said. “And people helped out when my brother (Mark Augello) had his accident” in 2000.
“I see people giving every day and I just I want to be one of those people,” Augello said. “You just can’t take all of the time. We are lucky to live where we live.”
A clean-up party at the Meyers’ property Saturday was heavily attended. As many as 30 people showed up, including a large crew from Tobyhanna Biomed Unit where her husband works and another 10 volunteers from Asplundh Tree Service where her dad, Jim Ludwig and brother, Dan, are employed. With the help of heavy equipment from Marshall’s Machinery, rented at a discounted rate, they were able to accomplish a lot.
“How can I ever thank them?” she said of everyone involved.
Willie Reinfurt, Reinfurt Excavating of Honesdale, was out to the property Wednesday.
Personal friends of the Meyers, Reinfurt said the property has vastly changed from the once “wooded, private lot to a football field.” What was once a full, forested area is now an acre or two clearing with no trees, he said.
“I feel bad for them ...My personal time is going to be donated,” Reinfurt said.
An excavator and operator costs about $100 an hour, Reinfurt said. The nominal fee he’s charging is just enough to cover fuel and his employees’ hours.
With an excavator and dumptruck, Reinfurt and his crew will spend three to four, 10-hour days digging up stumps, filling in the holes, and grading the property. They’ll also be putting down seed and mulch to prevent erosion, he said.
Ginny Davitt, Davitt’s Nursery in Honesdale, surprised the Meyers with a gift certificate for new trees.
“We’re hoping on a lot of the native species to replant,” Melissa said, hoping to plant a number of seedlings. “We’re just concerned about re-creating the natural habitat.”
No matter that there’s still work to be done, Melissa says the view from her porch has improved dramatically.
