#GaylordStrong
On Friday, May 20, a devastating tornado hit Gaylord, causing major damage to a three-block area of town and tremendous damage to our Gaylord retail store. Thanks to the quick and effective safety actions of our team, none of our employees were hurt, and the team was able to protect our customers as well.
Our thoughts and hearts are with all of the people of Gaylord as they deal with the impact of this terrible storm. The damage to our store is even worse than it looks in photos, but we are committed to reopening as soon as we can. We will rebuild alongside the people of Gaylord. As Kevin Arnold, our Gaylord store manager, said, “We're down but not out. We will rise like a phoenix from our ashes.”
We wanted to share some of the things we have been doing since last week:
REBUILDING AND REOPENING: We are working to reopen our store as soon as possible, and are working with our landlord, structural engineers, and insurance companies to determine what that process will look like. Meanwhile, we are looking for opportunities for a temporary location while we rebuild, and hope to have this temporary location open very soon.
EMPLOYEE WAGES: We are continuing to pay our employees during this emergency and are reaching out with resources that can help during this traumatic time.
TORNADO VOUCHERS: We are donating special store vouchers that can be used for clothing and household items in our open stores including Cheboygan, Alpena, Traverse City, and Petoskey. These vouchers are available through the United Way Otsego, along with other resources needed by people impacted by the storm.
MATCHING DONATIONS: We are matching 100% of donations made by employees, friends, and family of Goodwill Northern Michigan to the Otsego Community Foundation's Tornado Relief Fund. This fund is supporting Gaylord relief and recovery efforts for individuals including the work of United Way Otsego, Habitat for Humanity, and The Refuge. Donations can be made online. Please forward a receipt of donations made by employees, friends, and family to Emily Stuhldreher so that we can make our matching donation. People can give online to the fund here.
SUPPORT SERVICES: At no cost, employees and their families can use expert support services to help with life issues like family care, stress, depression, and addiction. We have a new Employee Assistance Program (EAP) called WorkLifeMatters, offered through Guardian, that gives you and your family members access to confidential personal support with everything from stress management to nutrition to legal and financial issues. Click here for more details and for information on how to access the services. To see a full list of services offered, click here.
