After August 2/2006 we all awoke to an ugly new scene on Shady Lane. Our power was out for up to a week. Our phone service disappeared for ten days. Trees, some over 120 years old fell nearly everywhere blocking driveways, roads and damaging several structures. It was, and in some cases remains, a mess. However out of every mishap comes something to be thankful for. There were no injuries or fatalities. Given the intensity or the blow-down of trees, the property damage was minimal. Also, out of every mishap there come people to thank.

Early in the morning on Aug. 3, Andy Assinck and co-horts Patrick and Russ with Andy's trusty orange loader was out pushing trees and brush aside to clear a path where driveways were blocked. A total stranger, new to the region and known only as 'Jack' and his "Husky" voluntarily walked along Shady Lane cutting tree trunks that blocked the road or a driveway, allowing Andy and his team to use their machine more effectively. This first response was important as it shook us out of the sense of shock and into action as best we could.

As the days passed, the team of Bud Lehman, John and Jesse Dillon, Ken and Jason Soulze, took their tools and the ever-faithful Mr. John Deere up and down the roads and driveways cutting and pulling fallen and leaning trees out of harm's way and helped those who merely asked to stack trees for use as firewood or to move the trunks away. At the same time neighbor was often helping neighbor with a blocked lane or a dangerous tree.

All people needed was to be asked for a helping hand and they were there, asking nothing as payment (well, maybe a cool brown bottle of lager) and giving more than they had to. Despite being without power for a week, we can only wonder at the tremendous effort put in by the teams from Hydro One. What WAS that funny smoke smell?)

Thank you all from those of us on Shady Lane who received your help. These are the kind of gestures that come out of an incident such as a F2 tornado.

Thanks, Thanks, Thanks. To all of you --- much obliged.

by Barrie Richardson on behalf of the Shady Lane Road Association

A Tornado, then a
Storm of Generosity

Cutting through to the trapped

Andy Assinick