Rebecca Fisher is more skeptical of storm laden Lee’s Summit skies these days.
“We look at the sky a lot. A lot more than we ever did,” she said.
Previous story: Students in Lee's Summit pitch in to clean up tornado damage
Fisher watched as the funnel cloud formed on July 1, 2015. She took cover in a basement as the tornado tore apart her fireworks stand in the parking lot of Lee's Summit North High School.
“The only thing that was actually standing after the tornado was the stairs in the back of the trailer head and the register stands,” she said.
The National Weather Service declared EF 0 and EF 1 tornado damage following the storm. Ninety percent of the fireworks stand’s inventory was wiped out.
“They did find one of our tables on top of the school,” said Fisher.
Twelve hours after the tornado knocked down the stand, volunteers helped restock. Black Cat fireworks’ insurance covered the cost of the ruined inventory.
“We’re still trying to help [the high school] with some of the damage that the tornado did to the school,” said Fisher. Lee's Summit North replaced windows and water damaged carpets.
This year, the high school's PTSA is going strong despite the cloudy skies.
“There’s no forecast for tornados. People are still coming out and getting things in anticipation of being able to shoot off the fireworks on the fouth” said Fisher. “Right now we’re meeting our expectations.”
Though Fisher doesn’t have a specific dollar amount goal, she hopes to raise enough to cover the cost of the PTSA’s yearly Safe Halloween.
