Truro Area News
By Mary Lou Parker
Last Wednesday night Truro, along with some other towns in southern Iowa, got hit by heavy winds and rain. Evidently the firemen had sighted some funnel clouds as the tornado siren was set off. My husband and I went to the basement as the winds were quite strong and the hail was hitting against our windows so badly that we thought that they might break. When we came up from the basement and turned on the houses outside lights, we were amazed to see all the limbs that had fallen or were blown from the neighbors into our yard. Some of these limbs were pretty good size. We had the neighbors chair from their deck in our backyard. Our neighbor had a trampoline that was blown across an oat field.
The old car wash door on the main street through Truro was blown out and hit the building to the south of it causing a little damage. The owner of the building said it made a loud crash when it happened.
During all of this, firemen from the different towns were out watching the sky and reporting in to Madison County dispatch what the weather was doing and whether or not they were spotting any rotation. I would like to thank these men and women for all their dedication to their communities in trying to help them be safe by keeping watch. They were out pretty late doing this and risking their lives. I think we sometimes forget that these men and women have families, too, but they are willing and dedicated to help in every way they can. I believe all of them, and dispatch, too, need to be recognized for all that they do. It sure keeps dispatch on their toes responding to all the different fire departments calling in and from which location in the county plus reading the teletype and or the National Weather Service.
On Friday, June 19, we were hit by a terrific rainfall. It came down so fast and hard that I couldn’t even see the building across the street from City Hall. It kept this up for quite a while and I found out we received about 3 inches of rain in 45 minutes and several streets in town were flooded. I know some basements got hit again, too. The fire department was called out because of the street flooding. I don’t think I have seen rain fall so hard and for so long in quite a while. This has been quite a week between possible mini twister hitting us on Wednesday and knocking large limbs out of trees or the whole tree down and hail and now all the rain. I don’t know about you but I’m ready for a little calmer and dryer weather with a little less humidity! I’m putting my order in NOW.
I found out a couple of days later that after the Friday down pour of rain, two teenagers, Mason McClelland and Kyle Rockey, were walking in the ditches filled with water south of the bus shed when they were caught up in whirling water that would suck them under the water. Mason was completely under the water and pulled by the current through the culvert under the street. When he came out on the other end of the culvert he was caught by the leg and his older brother who was trying to help both boys finally got a hold of Mason and kept holding his head above the water. Seemed like he went in to help the boys and got himself caught up in the current but was able to get out and help Mason. By this time other people suddenly appeared to help in this situation but the person that was able to free Mason was Dan Tharp. He offered to help and got into the water when he found the water whirl got a hold of him and carried him through the culvert, too; but when he came out the other end he hit Mason and freed him. The fire & rescue were called out to the scene, too. These boys came pretty close to drowning if it weren’t for the people who suddenly appeared at the right time as David Rockey, Kyle’s father, put it. I think one of the boys required some stitches but other than that they are O.K. All of this really makes you really see how fast things can change. What looked like a lot of fun almost turned into a tragedy. I’m very thankful that everyone is all right. I know someone helped Kyle but I am not sure which of the bystanders it was. Rob McClelland was trying to help both boys until other people arrived to help out.
Please let this be a lesson to other children not to play in the ditches when they are filled with water. We wouldn’t want a serious accident to happen again. You might not be as fortunate as Mason and Kyle were.
Joyce Brommel and Mary Lou Parker attended a Mother-Daughter Brunch that was held at the Indianola Regular Baptist Church June 20. They went as guests of their daughter- in-law/daughter, Christina (Parker) Brommel. After playing a game the ladies watched a skit and listened to some special music and then ate. The special speaker was Mrs. Charlotte Bunge whose husband is Pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Des Moines. Mrs. Bunge’s message was titled “Wind Power.” Mary Lou won one of the door prizes.
There was a Father’s Day get together at the home of Todd and Nancy Hagan. Those attending were Robert and Jeanette Hagan of Urbandale who are Todd’s parents, Dean and Mary Lou Parker, who are Nancy’s parents and Mark and Christina (Parker) Brommel and Colby of Indianola, Marvel Loomis from New Virginia who is Todd’s grandmother and Todd’s cousin, Leslie, who was visiting from Colorado.
A Truro Children’s Improv Program has been started by Heidi Burhans. Improv means to just make up things as they go along. Make a story or play or even a game out of someone’s idea. Kid’s heads are full of ideas. During these meetings children are learning team work and improvisational skills. Children are divided by age groups – toddlers, 8 yrs. and under, 9 to 13 yrs. old and 14 to 19 yrs. old. They are meeting every Tuesday and Thursday from 6-7 p.m. in the Truro City Park. Everyone is welcomed to come and parents you can drop your kids off and take that hour to sit down and relax.
Truro City Council held a special meeting on June 22.
The Truro Lions are changing their breakfast times to 7:30-9 a.m. for July 18, Aug. 1 and Aug. 15. As usual make your own omelet, biscuits and gravy and pancakes are on the menu.
