COLUMBIA COUNTY, Pa. — A business that has been operating for more than 100 years sustained damage and lost two animals after Wednesday's severe storms in Columbia County.
It was all hands on deck Friday evening at Milheim Menagerie Farm in Briar Creek Township as family and friends cleaned up some of the damage.
"It means a lot. It means a lot of people had damage and everything else, but they still came out, you know," said Samantha Milheim, owner of Milheim Menagerie Farm.
Owner Samantha Milheim says the family lost two sheep and had structural damage to four buildings.
"We had over 30 people here the first night helping us to be able to maintain and stay the night in her own home," added Milheim.
A video taken by two hunters on Milheim's property the night of the storm shows how thousands of dollars in property was destroyed in seconds.
From a blown-over barn to debris scattered across her property. Milheim said she has a lot of work to do, but thankfully she has a community of people to help do it.
"Just kind of crazy how much damage happens to people local to me, never think it'll happen out here until it does," said Levi McCarty, 4H Member.
Helping to clear debris, 13-year-old Levi McCarty is a member of the local 4H club that Milheim and her kids are also a part of.
Instead of going to the regularly scheduled Friday night meetings, he and more than a dozen others decided to help one of their own.
"Feels good to help out community and help out our local 4hers that are in our club," added McCarty.
Milheim expects a lot of challenges as work continues to rebuild the family farm, but she says it won't be something she has to do alone.
"Be grateful for your community because we definitely have a great one here," added Milheim.
From farmland to downtown, Wednesday's night storm affected thousands in the Berwick region.