FRYBURG, OH (WLIO) - Full-time and temporary residents of the Glacier Hill Lakes campground are chipping away at the damage and debris from Thursday's tornado.
Residents and volunteers spent the weekend clearing trees, moving metal, and trying to piece together what is left. Out of over 300 campsites, Glacier Hill Lakes says that 99 have sustained some level of damage. According to witnesses, several people who were in their campers when the tornado hit flew through the air, either inside the camper or thrown out of it. They also shared a story of one man who had opened his door to look outside and remembers nothing next except waking up on the ground several yards from where his camper had been before it blew away. Those who were there that night add that they are shocked that there were no serious injuries.
"It scared me to death; it truly did. When the tornado went by, I'm seeing all this debris swirling around; I'm hearing it hit my camper and other people's campers. And I just thought, Oh God, this is not going to be good," recalled Jeff Robinson, who lives at the campground year-round.
Glacier Hill Lakes was scheduled to open for the 2024 camping season soon. Witnesses agreed that they're lucky the tornado struck before then.
"Be thankful they weren't here. Because it was scary, it was very scary. I mean, there's very few times in my life that I've ever been scared, truly scared, but I was truly scared that night," Robinson added.
At this time, the campground is still without power and running water. They are most in need of cleaning tools like brooms, gloves, and safety goggles, as well as gallon jugs of water.
