Free State Growers rebound from tornado

Free State Growers rebound from tornado

Free State Growers is still rebuilding after a tornado wiped out the business one year ago.

IT DESTROYED HOMESACROSS OUR VIEWINGAREA--ONE YEAR A AGO TODAY--A TORNADO -- LEFTFAMILIES WITH NO PLACETO LIVE --9AND COMMUNITIESDEVASTATED.THIS MORNING-- WE TAKEYOU BACK ONE YEARLATER.9LET'S START BY LOOKINGAT THE MAP FROM THATTORNADO'S PATH--YOU MAY REMEMBER--THE STORM TRAVELEDFROM THE RURAL PARTSOF KANSAS TO THENORTHLAND ANDEXCELSIOR SPRINGS INMISSOURI.AND TAKE A LOOK AT JUSTHOW POWERFUL IT WAS.THIS IS A DAYCARE INLAWRENCE.ON THE LEFT -- YOU CANSEE WHAT IT LOOKED LIKEBEFORE THE TORNADOPASSED THROUGH--ON THE RIGHT-- WHATWAS LEFT AFTER.ONE OF THE ABSOLUTEJAW-DROPPING MOMENTSFROM LAST YEAR'STORNADO WAS SEEINGHOW IT DESTROYED AGREENHOUSE IN LINWOOD.THIS MORNING - 41 ACTIONNEWS REPORTER CHARLIEKEEGAN JOINS US WITH ANUPDATE ON FREE STATEGROWERS.HOW MUCH DIFFERENTDOES IT LOOK?WHAT A DIFFERENCE ONEYEAR MAKES.SOME OF THEGREENHOUSES ARE BACKUP - BUT FREE STATEGROWERS WAS ABLE TOSTAY IN BUSINESSBASICALLY ALLTHROUGHOUT THECONSTRUCTION PROCESS.THE FOLKS AT FREE STATEGROWERS ARE IN THEBUSINESS OF GROWING.EVERY NEW BUD ANDPLANT IN A POT IS A HINTTHAT BUSINESS ISRETURNING TO NORMAL.10:47:21-10:47:23"I'm hoping I never have tosee something like this again.THAT WAS AN EF-4TORNADO WHICH WAS SOSTRONG IT CARRIEDPIECES OF THEGREENHOUSES HERENEARLY 40 MILES TO K-C-I.Nats- 10:37:49 we were ableto save an awful lot of plantsOWNER MARK ILLAUSKYWALKED ME THROUGH THERE-CONSTRUCTION.10:45:20-"The area we're standing innow is the old break room andthere is still tile on thefloor."HE SAID THE NEWGREENHOUSES ARETALLER AND MOREENERGY EFFICIENT - BUTTHERE'S JUST NO SUCHTHING AS A TORNADO-PROOF GREENHOUSE.Nats- constructionILLAUSKY'S EMPLOYEE'SHAVE STEPPED UP TO DOSOME OF THECONSTRUCTION WORKALONGSIDE ACONTRACTOR.Nats - forkliftBUT HE'S EAGER TO SEETHEM BACK TO WORKGROWING.10:36:07-10:36:14"Next year all of this is goingto be done and behind us andhopefully we won't be doingany construction and we'll justbe growing plants."BECAUSE AFTER ALL FREESTATE GROWERS IS IN THEBUSINESS OF GROWINGMARK HOPES TO HAVE ALLTHE CONSTRUCTION DONEBY THE END OF THE YEAR.FREE STATE SELLSFLOWERS TO BIGGROCERY AND HARDWARESTORES - WHERE YOU CANTHEN BUY THEM.CHARLIE - LAST YEAR YOUTOLD US ABOUT ANEMPLOYEE WHO TOOKSHELTER UNDER ATRACTOR DURING THETORNADO.HOW'S HE DOING TODAY?ILLAUSKY TELLS ME THATEMPLOYEE IS IN GREATSHAPE - STILL WORKSHERE AT FREE STATE.THE TRACTOR SURVIVEDAS WELL - AND HAS BEEN ABIG PART OF THEREBUILDING EFFORT.BACK TO YOU.