The National Weather Service confirmed that a weak EF-0 tornado briefly touched down in Holly on Sunday night as storms moved through the area.
According to the National Weather Service, the tornado had an estimated peak wind of 70 mph with a one-mile path and 50-yard width.
WATCH BELOW: American Legion Post in Holly suffers "significant structural" damage after storm
It touched down at 6:56 p.m. about one mile southwest of Holly and lifted two minutes later.
"The tornado began in a wooded marshland southwest of Holly and continued northeast into the Village of Holly before dissipating just east of the center of town near the intersection of Martha St. and Washington St. Sporadic concentrated small tree and large limb damage, loss of roofing material on several facilities, construction site damage, and minor siding and fascia loss were observed along portions of Tenny St., Lock St., Legrande St., Sherman St., Saginaw St., Church St., Martha St., and Washington St.," the NWS said.
American Legion Post `149 in Holly suffered significant structural damage after the storm.
According to the Legion Post's Facebook page, the damage came after the storm hit Holly around 7 p.m. on Sunday evening. A large portion of shingles got blown off the roof, with a horizontal crack forming in a major section of the hall.
"Really, it has to happen on Veterans Day?" said Stephen Striggow, Finance Officer with the Holly American Legion. "I was sad, this post was built on our sweat and with our backs and it’s terrible to see the part we ourselves built being, basically demolished."
Legion Commander Tina Thurlow says dozens are community members are already reaching out.
"The Village said we could use their place for our meetings, The Moose actually reached out and offered us their place as well, again just a lot friends saying ‘what can we do? Can we come over and help clean up? Can we do this, can we start a fundraiser for you? How can we help you get through this?’" said Thurlow.
Striggow says, "it was unfortunate the reason for the attention, but it shows how much the community really cares, and makes us feel really proud."
Holly Fire Chief and Building Official Chief Jeremy Watson says they’re still assessing the damage, but miraculously not one war article, flag, or mural was damaged.
"Here we are celebrating Veterans Day and we can probably say that all the memorabilia was saved," he said.
The Legion has been getting messages asking how community members can help, they ask that you follow their facebook for updates and any fundraisers.
"For safety reasons, entry into the building is strictly prohibited as we address these structural concerns," the Post said via social media. "While initial observations suggest that strong winds may have lifted the soffit, causing the roof to shift and break a mortar joint separating it from the wall, these are only early speculations. A professional assessment is necessary to determine the full extent of the damage."
The Legion Post also thanked the Holly Fire Department for their prompt response to the storm damage, saying in part that "their professionalism and support mean so much to us."
Thankfully, no one was injured during this event. With the Post temporarily closed, all rentals and gatherings at the building are suspended until further notice.
