On Friday, May 20 at 3:35 PM, an EF3 tornado began moving through the town of Gaylord, MI and traveled a path for 20 minutes through residential and business areas killing 2, injuring 44 and displacing many more from their homes and workplaces. About one-third of MEC’s Vanderbilt, MI employees live in Gaylord. Within hours our corporate team contacted our Vanderbilt team to find out if our Vanderbilt employees were okay and what MEC could do to help.
With the county already experiencing a housing shortage, families that have been displaced from their homes are being lodged in local hotels. Some whose workplaces have been destroyed are commuting to sister businesses 40 minutes or more away. MEC donated $10,000 to the Otsego Community Foundation’s Tornado Response Fund to help impacted community members with housing, food, employment and other challenges.
Our hearts go out to everyone effected by the tornado.
Pictured: Rand Stille – COO (left) presents the donation check to Dana Bensinger – Otsego Community Foundation Executive Director (middle), along with Ryan Gray – Vanderbilt Plant Manager (right).