Citizens in and around Mount Vernon and Lisbon, Iowa, know exactly where they were when the Derecho windstorm blew through southeastern Iowa on Aug. 10, 2020. What they could not have known is how significant the devastation would be and what it would take to restore their community.
The derecho brought severe damage across the entire area. Buildings, infrastructure and crops were destroyed. Estimates speculate that at least half of the trees in the storm footprint were damaged from the high winds.
Marking the one-year anniversary of the storm, Channel is celebrating the farmers, first responders and everyday citizens who stepped up to help with the cleanup and rebuilding efforts after the storm ravaged the community.
The community is invited to join the Iowa-based Channel team for a complimentary ice cream social on Aug. 12 at the Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center in Mount Vernon, Iowa, beginning at 7:00 pm. The event will feature a unique tribute to the hometown heroes who have worked countless hours to clean up and rebuild the rural communities of Lisbon and Mount Vernon. This larger-than-life event will showcase hometown heroes in a video premiere projected on the side of the Community Wellness Center.
?Last year brought many unpredictable challenges, but none as catastrophic as the derecho,? Beth Lincoln, Channel?s local field sales representative, said. ?While this powerful storm was devastating, it wasn?t as powerful as the resilience of Iowa farming communities.?
The Mt. Vernon High School Marching Band, Booster Clubs of Mt. Vernon, and Lisbon High Schools and the Mount Vernon Lisbon Community Development Group will also participate in the evening?s events.
The details of the event are as follows:
What: Ice Cream Social and Video Premiere, featuring:
- Moo Moo?s Ice Cream Truck (hosted by Channel)
- Pearl City Kettle Corn (hosted by Channel)
- ZZnT Food Truck (available for purchase)
- Gatorade and sodas available for purchase by the Booster Clubs of Mt. Vernon and Lisbon high schools
- Performance by Mt. Vernon High School Marching Band
- Bounce house for kids
Who: Lisbon and Mount Vernon Communities and Channel Iowa team
When: August 12, 2021, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center
855 Palisades Rd SW, Mount Vernon, IA 52314
