By Drew Johnson
It’s hard to believe that it has been almost a year since the tornadoes came through that destroyed parts of Pavilion Township and the City of Portage. I remember, as I’m sure many do, sitting in the basement with my kids and watching the radar as storms moved through the County.
Pavilion Estates Mobile Home Park was the only part of our service area to be hit hard by the tornadoes, but they were particularly devastating there. In the immediate aftermath we gave out $65,000 — $1,000 to each family who lost their home in the park. At the time it seemed like a massive assist, but the reality is that even now the residents of these areas continue to work on rebuilding their homes and their lives.
To that end, in December of 2024 we signed a contract with the County of Kalamazoo (with additional funding from Pavilion Estates, the Kalamazoo Foundation, and United Way) to work with Pavilion Estates to provide over $400,000 worth of rent and repair assistance for the residents of the park who were unable to get their homes repaired via house insurance or other support. We recently began working with Pavilion Township as well, which will provide an additional $200,000.
As soon as we got the funding, we immediately began work on replacing roofs and the insulative skirting that protects the underside of mobile homes—the most important repair work to complete in the cold winter. We have been partnering with Pavilion Estates to work through a priority list and are currently on our fourth round of repairs, totaling over $100,000. Once spring starts, we will begin working on windows, siding, and other necessary repairs.
I have spent a lot of time driving through Pavilion Estates over the past year. It was an area that I thought I knew well, but this past year has brought a lot of changes. There is a stark contrast between homes with new roofs, siding, and exteriors and homes that barely seem habitable. Just outside the park, a barn and large shed still lay on their sides. It drives home how much work rebuilding really is, and how long it takes to put something back together after it’s broken.
There have been a lot of good stories at Pavilion Estates too. To a person, everyone whom we have helped has been extremely grateful. The number of homes with outstanding rent due is at an all-time low since the tornadoes. The community did come together after the storms and help each other out. And important repair work is happening on people’s homes—we just still have more to do.
Drew Johnson lives in Kalamazoo and is the Director at South County Community Services. He can be reached at 649-2901 or ajohnson@southcountycs.com
South County Senior Center Event Schedule
The South County Senior Center utilizes space within the Vicksburg United Methodist Church 217 S. Main Street, Vicksburg
TUESDAYS
- Walking Group 10-10:45 a.m. (indoors at VUMC)
- Beginner Pickleball 1-2 p.m.
WEDNESDAYS
- Cardio Drumming 12-12:45 p.m. (registration required)
- Walking Group 1-1:45 p.m. (indoors at VUMC)
THURSDAYS
- Coffee Hour 12-1 p.m.
- FUNctional Fitness 2-2:45 p.m.
SPECIAL EVENTS
- Music Concert Series: Vicksburg High School Jazz Band – 3/4, 4:45-6 p.m. (in collaboration with Vicksburg Arts)
- Blood Pressure Clinic – 3/20, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
- Art Class: Resin Jewelry – 3/10, 1-3 p.m. (in collaboration with Vicksburg Arts) $15. Registration required.
- Lunch and Learn: Cybersecurity Awareness for Seniors – 3/20, 12-1 p.m. Learn about tech security traps to avoid with Jenner Wile
- Lunch and Learn: A Toast to Healthy Hearts: A Tasting, Talking, Moving and Fun Experience for All – 4/10, 12-2 p.m. (registration required, space limited). Join multiple healthcare professionals to learn more about Heart Health
- Lunch and Learn: Medicare Presentation – 5/15 and 5/22, 1:30-3 p.m. Join Miranda Pearson, LLMSW from Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services, for a Medicare presentation plus question & answer time.
For questions about the South County Senior Center or to REGISTER for Cardio Drumming or A Toast to Healthy Hearts Lunch & Learn, call Sherri Martin (SCSC Coordinator) at 269-720-0974 or email: smartin@southcountycs.com. To REGISTER for the Resin Jewelry class, contact Vicksburg Arts at 200-2223.
Please visit www.southcountycs.com for the most up to date programming. Classes and Special Events are free unless otherwise noted.
For more information on South County Community Services, please check out our Facebook page at facebook.com/southcountycs or visit our website: southcountycs.com.
