BONNER SPRINGS, Kan. — Two days after a tornado destroyed homes inside the Bear Lake subdivision, neighbors got back to work repairing and cleaning up the damage left behind.
On Thursday, dozens of trees lined the streets of the neighborhood and crews of workers continued to repair roofs that suffered wind damage earlier in the week.
At Brad Averill’s home off 161st Street, a large tree on the property suffered extensive damage and was at risk of needing to be cut down.
“It’s a shame,” he said. “We loved this tree because it was so picturesque with the lake behind it.”
Averill worked with two other friends on Thursday to clear large branches and cut down damaged limbs that were hit by the dangerous winds.
Despite the work taking multiple hours, he said the situation for other neighbors who lost their homes a short distance away was far worse.
“In the grand scheme of things, this is nothing,” he said. “We just have to get it taken down.”
Across the street from Averill’s home, Manning Roofing contractor Brian McHenry worked on a family’s roof and covered holes leftover from Tuesday’s storm.
This week, he said the damage around the community has kept his team busy.
“The phone has been ringing off the hook,” he said. “We’re constantly finding people to put tarps on their roofs.”
While McHenry helps lead a team with the company based out of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Kansas state leaders have been warning communities to be aware of unlicensed contractors doing illegal work.
“It really irritates me when people try to take advantage of people in a situation like this,” McHenry said. “They’ve lost everything and then they’re trying to make a quick buck and take advantage of them.”
Aside from patching up roofs, McHenry has also offered advice to homeowners so they can avoid getting scammed.
“Make sure they are licensed,” he said, adding that customers should get a written contract for the repair work. “Make sure they have the experience that they [say they] have, and make sure they understand the insurance process.”
Moving forward, neighbors said they would continue on the road to recovery while remembering that others have very difficult challenges ahead after losing their homes.
“Those families have years ahead of them,” Averill said. “They’re not going to be able to recoup a lot of what they lost.”
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