The National Weather service confirmed last Wednesday that it was an EF-2 tornado that ripped through Forada and Maple Lake area on Memorial Day, causing extensive damage to homes and trees in and near the town of about 170 residents located on the east side of Maple Lake about 10 miles north of Glenwood.  

There were at least 4 tornado touchdowns confirmed in Western Minnesota on a Memorial Day filled with severe weather that caused heavy rain, bouts of hail and powerful winds over a wide area in this part of the state.  Before the tornado struck Forada, the storm moved across much of the western part of the state at more than 70 mph, it was reported by the National Weather Service.  An EF-2 tornado can contain winds up to 120 mph. 

The storm left a path of downed trees and other damage from Appleton through the Forada area and on through the state to the northeast.  There also was some significant damage in the rural area near the Immanual Lutheran Church located on Pope CR 18 southwest of Starbuck.  For the most part, the cities of Starbuck, Lowry and Glenwood were spared significant damage in this latest severe storm to move through the area.  This area, however, was still recovering from severe storms that hit on May 12, causing structure damage, downed trees and extended power outages..

David Sheppard, who lives on the east side of Maple Lake and is president of the Glenwood Rotary Club, said after the storm that he and his wife “had a mess on our hands with  250 trees down, and structural damage on our home and outbuildings.”  

“We had countless large trees landing on the roofs in the area,” he said.  After the storm, “we had 100-foot cranes here to remove the large ones.  Shingles and underlayments were torn off, so we did have rain inside and lost the boat and lift, fish house too.”

“Still, we are the lucky ones,” Sheppard said last Wednesday.  “Many of our neighbors lost everything.  It’s so heartbreaking to see this devastation.  I’ve only seen this type of thing on TV, and far away.  To live through it is another story altogether.  It’s frightening, sad and exhausting.  It’s like I’m watching a movie or something like that.  It can’t be real.”

“This is a game changer,” Sheppard said.  “It gives you a different view on everything.  It might take a couple of years to recover what is possible, and we’ll be fine…but I’ll never be the same.  All I can do is to thank God.”

“I thought a bomb went off, shrapnel everywhere, houses gone, we had to work to get out of the crawlspace we were in with our friends. We knew it was gone when it started raining and hailing on us in the basement,” said Mitch Critz, who lives on Forada Beach Road.

“Most people are staying in hotels for now and looking for places to store what they can salvage from their homes and properties,” said Bruce Redfield, who shares a family cabin on Forada Beach Road. “Nothing was spared.” 

There is a group on facebook that has been coordinating with the Forada Fire Department to get food, clothing and other items to those in need over last week’s cleanup time.   Earlier in the week, residents had to be escorted into the area with all the trees and debris everywhere. The group has been posting “help wanted” for people needing specific types of volunteers – from moving furniture all the way to cutting trees, it was stated.

Red Cross set up at the fire station with food and water donations. Several businesses have been donating lunch and dinner to help feed volunteers who came to the area to help with cleanup.

The Douglas County fairgrounds was accepting wood to be chipped for the compost facility and Port-a-potties were donated for use.

Power was expected to be restored on Saturday to the Forada Beach Road area. For the time being there will be temporary poles set up until full cleanup and restoration is complete and then the lines will be installed underground, according to information provided to residents. 

 –Tim Douglass and Melanie Stegner