(WXMI) — Park Township residents are making progress in their recovery efforts after severe storms tore through the Waukazoo Woods neighborhood last week.
WATCH: See the difference between the damage from last Friday and the cleanup efforts on Wednesday.
The Waukazoo Woods neighborhood is located just outside of Holland. It was one of the hardest-hit areas across West Michigan. Multiple homes sustained damage from fallen trees and power was out for a few days.
Joe and Barb Malis are currently staying in a nearby hotel while waiting for an insurance adjuster to assess the damage after multiple trees crashed through their home.
"It's tough. It changes a little bit every day. Sometimes during the day it's better than others. It's really overwhelming. We've never had a situation like this before," Joe Malis said.
While some residents have been displaced, others are able to remain in their homes as they work through the recovery process.
"They were able to get the trees off of our home so we could assess the damage and get our home tarped. At least there's no water coming into our home and we can get to the point where we can really assess the damage and start getting things repaired. But we know it's going to be a really long process," Terri Smith said.
The Holland Board of Public Works tells FOX 17 that all 30 power poles that needed replacement have been installed, with power fully restored to the neighborhood by Sunday afternoon.
Despite the extensive damage and uncertain timeline for full recovery, residents express gratitude for their safety and the community support they've received.
"Overall, though, we're very blessed and we're very thankful for how we're still here. And that's the most important thing. The neighborhood came through for us," Malis said.
"I've had people I've never met before come up and give me a hug while I was out cleaning up brush and so that makes a huge difference," Smith said.
Residents of the Waukazoo neighborhood consistently share the same message: they're grateful to be alive, relieved there were no injuries, and touched by how the community has rallied around one another.
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