Saturday’s Portage Strong event offers post-storm relief in more ways than one. It’s a celebration of coming out the other side of the worst storm to hit the region in recent history.
The event’s flyer sums it all up: “The derecho tried to knock us down, but Portage is stronger than any storm! Let’s gather for food, laughter, music and hope – because when we lift each other up, no one faces the wind alone.”
Wayne Antusas, of Portage, is one of the organizers who have been working on this day of healing and hope for the past week.
In terms of storm damage, he’s one of the lucky ones. “We didn’t get hit too hard. It ripped my American flag off my garage and my POW flag,” he said. He and his wife lost power Tuesday morning, and it was restored by midday Thursday. “It messed up some siding. Some of the siding we had to put back.”
Others have suffered much worse, with trees landing on many homes and power and internet access still out in some places Thursday, nine days after the storm. One house even exploded, killing Leona Rice, 86, who died of blunt force trauma as a result.
And that’s just Portage.
Antusas and other organizers know the city needs some relief. The event will feature a free lunch as well as live music, some speechifying, a couple of DJs, games and more.
“It’s going to be a long event. It’s going to be from 11 in the morning to 9 at night,” he said, at Founders Square.
Mayor Austin Bonta, who has been in on two of the planning meetings, will offer his thoughts early in the event, Antusas said. Antusas, founder of Builder of Men Ministries, plans to offer his own message at about 2 p.m.
Antusas plans to speak on hope, sharing about what Portage residents went through with the storm, just to encourage the crowd. “They went through a lot, some worse than me,” he said. “We want to be a celebration after the storm.”
Builder of Men Ministries joined with Feed the Region. “We just kind of developed from there,” Antusas said, getting other organizations involved as well.
Dominque Petrovic, who feeds homeless people in hotel parking lots through One Mission Outreach, got permission to use Founders Square for the event. Others have chipped in, too. Antusas took time off from work to help with the heavy lifting the planning of an event like this requires in such a short time.
“The Calumet Region is coming together to hold this event,” he said.
Jersey Mike’s, Louie Wingz & Catfish and Mexico Lindo are providing the free food.
Awesomely Autistic is offering a tent with face painting, bubbles, foam and more.
The live band will “play some good Christian music,” Antusas said, and there will be upbeat music like “YMCA” and “We Are Family.” Bonta’s aunt will be among the emcees.
There will be a prayer tent for people who want to ask for prayer or just have someone to listen, Antusas said.
Portage will have a tent there to sign up people who need tree removal and debris removal. Volunteers will help clean up their backyards, “which is pretty awesome.”
He’s also inviting people to tell their stories of how they went through hardship but emerged OK.
“I think that’s our beautiful story right there, people coming together in a crisis.”
Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
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