Nappanee Tries To Get Into Holiday Spirit Despite Tornado Damage

by Nora Gathings (hsgathings@wsbt.com)

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Nappanee Tries To Get Into Holiday Spirit Despite Tornado Damage

By Jim Pinkerton

(WSBT) Christmas can't come soon enough for a city devastated by a tornado. Nappanee held a Christmas parade Friday night called Miracle on Main and Market.

FEMA decided it wouldn't give the city aid last week, so Nappanee has to be looking for another miracle. The majority of people here have insurance that should cover most of the damage, and the mayor is confident the city will be able to get everyone else back on their feet.

Larry Thompson says Nappanee needs help, so he appealed FEMA's decision. The agency is coming back next week to have another look. He says the town may be rebuilding and may appear to be OK, but it isn't financially.

"We will probably be advised to move forward and ask for the SBCA loans to be extended to businesses to wrap around mortgages," said Mayor Thompson.

In a statement, Congressman Mark Souder, (R) Third District, said "It's laughable for FEMA to say that this area is not a disaster zone."

Regardless, people are moving on.

"Everyone in the community was affected one way or another," said resident Jason Nunemaker.

One way they did that Friday was by lighting candles and receiving angel ornaments to remind them of their blessing this Christmas season.

"It would be awesome to see those families and their houses start to get built and Nappanee actually coming back to Nappanee the way it used to be. That would be awesome. That would be God-sent," said resident Sarah Sheperd.

Monday, Dec 24 at 9:21 AM ev wrote ...

Since we are not sitting on our hands complaining, FEMA probably won't give us help.That is just how it is-I'm still very proud to live here where we take pride in helping each other at least we know we do it RIGHT here!

Saturday, Dec 1 at 11:12 PM Typical.... wrote ...

Isn't this typical of how things work anyway? If someone honestly falls on hard times and asks humbly for help, they are denied. However, if you are lazy and don't give a rip about bettering yourself, you get whatever handout there is available?

Saturday, Dec 1 at 9:40 PM Nappanee - Great place to live wrote ...

On 10/18/07 at 10:18pm we thought the mouth of hell swallowed Nappanee. A half hour later we were finding that God and his angles had wrapped their wings around the community, thus the statement “ And We All Survived”.

Saturday, Dec 1 at 9:36 PM FEMA afraid wrote ...

FEMA is afraid to come to Nappanee. Afraid Nappanee and its great neighbors will teach them how to do something right.

Saturday, Dec 1 at 9:15 PM angels protected my town wrote ...

Fairmont/Gulfstream have supported FEMA for a very long time. Doesn't seem to make very much sense that FEMA wouldn't support the community of a town that has supported FEMA through jobs at Fairmont/Gulfstream.

Saturday, Dec 1 at 8:21 AM mother of victim wrote ...

unless u have been there and seen the damage u dont have a clue how bad it is, these people are not sitting around waiting for handouts, especially the ones without a job, get a clue

Saturday, Dec 1 at 8:01 AM Good grief wrote ...

Anonymous, you're an idiot. Let me ask you, what is the purpose of FEMA? Explain to me what their mission as an organization is... Last I knew they were an emergency organization to help those who faced disaster- and it happened on 10/18.

Friday, Nov 30 at 11:38 PM Anonymous wrote ...

get busy and fix whats wrong ! quit trying to get a socalled free hand out !

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