A community usually filled with families enjoying warm summer days is now dealing with widespread storm damage. Mount Gretna in Lebanon County remains without consistent power and cell service following the July Fourth weekend storms.Lake remains closedAccording to the Mount Gretna Lake Facebook page, the lake has been closed since July 4, with hopes of reopening on Wednesday, July 8.Roads blocked, power still unreliableAcross the community, many roads remain blocked and trees are down.Mount Gretna Chautauqua Director Susan Hostetter said power briefly returned for some residents around 3 a.m. Monday before going out again around 9:15 a.m. She said the constant sound of generators can now be heard throughout the community.Some events continueDespite the outages, community events are continuing.Mount Gretna resident Yulia Davydovitch said about 40 people still attended a lecture at the Hall of Philosophy on Monday. Hostetter said one summer program speaker gave a presentation without a PowerPoint because of the power outage, but events are still moving forward.Cell service, travel challengesResidents are also struggling to stay connected. Hostetter said some people have been driving into Lebanon or pulling off along the side of the turnpike just to get cell service. Route 117 is closed. It’s one of the community’s main entrances. Some residents have had to rely on alternate routes, including Pitch Road, to get in and out of town.Neighbors helping neighborsStill, residents say the hardship has brought people closer together.“We share what we have,” Hostetter said, noting that the shared discomfort has strengthened the community’s sense of togetherness.Davydovitch said trees are still falling in the area and that at least four vehicles, one house and a playground shed have been damaged. She said neighbors have been helping one another by clearing debris and cooking meals.“Guido Schiavoni, who owns Porch and Pantry, organized a community picnic and provided free burgers, hot dogs and drinks for neighbors entirely on his own,” Davydovitch said.Trying to get outSummer cottage owner Joyce Ruhl said she and her family were spending the July 4 weekend in Mount Gretna when they lost power Saturday night and decided to return to their home in Elizabethtown.“I think we turned around six times because of downed trees until we found a road we could pass,” Ruhl said.A massive tree also fell and blocked Creek Road just outside Mount Gretna.Even without reliable electricity, food, cell service or easy travel routes, Mount Gretna residents are finding ways to support one another and push through a difficult stretch.
LEBANON, Pa. —
A community usually filled with families enjoying warm summer days is now dealing with widespread storm damage. Mount Gretna in Lebanon County remains without consistent power and cell service following the July Fourth weekend storms.
Lake remains closed
According to the Mount Gretna Lake Facebook page, the lake has been closed since July 4, with hopes of reopening on Wednesday, July 8.
Roads blocked, power still unreliable
Across the community, many roads remain blocked and trees are down.
Mount Gretna Chautauqua Director Susan Hostetter said power briefly returned for some residents around 3 a.m. Monday before going out again around 9:15 a.m. She said the constant sound of generators can now be heard throughout the community.
Some events continue
Despite the outages, community events are continuing.
Mount Gretna resident Yulia Davydovitch said about 40 people still attended a lecture at the Hall of Philosophy on Monday. Hostetter said one summer program speaker gave a presentation without a PowerPoint because of the power outage, but events are still moving forward.
Cell service, travel challenges
Residents are also struggling to stay connected.
Hostetter said some people have been driving into Lebanon or pulling off along the side of the turnpike just to get cell service.
Route 117 is closed. It’s one of the community’s main entrances. Some residents have had to rely on alternate routes, including Pitch Road, to get in and out of town.
Neighbors helping neighbors
Still, residents say the hardship has brought people closer together.
“We share what we have,” Hostetter said, noting that the shared discomfort has strengthened the community’s sense of togetherness.
Davydovitch said trees are still falling in the area and that at least four vehicles, one house and a playground shed have been damaged. She said neighbors have been helping one another by clearing debris and cooking meals.
“Guido Schiavoni, who owns Porch and Pantry, organized a community picnic and provided free burgers, hot dogs and drinks for neighbors entirely on his own,” Davydovitch said.
Trying to get out
Summer cottage owner Joyce Ruhl said she and her family were spending the July 4 weekend in Mount Gretna when they lost power Saturday night and decided to return to their home in Elizabethtown.
“I think we turned around six times because of downed trees until we found a road we could pass,” Ruhl said.
A massive tree also fell and blocked Creek Road just outside Mount Gretna.
Even without reliable electricity, food, cell service or easy travel routes, Mount Gretna residents are finding ways to support one another and push through a difficult stretch.