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Staff photo / R. Michael Semple Heidi Shiderly of Enon Valley, Pa., lived in East Palestine 30 years ago – but shops in the village every week. She was at NeNe Collections and Presents on Thursday afternoon. , and worries about downtown merchants.
EAST PALESTINE – Prayers, well wishes and donations continue to pour into the community, but Mindy Juliana and Donna Heitzman wanted to support the city in a different way.
The two walked downtown Tuesday, lending their wallets — and hearts — to local business owners. The story doesn’t seem unusual until you consider where they came from.
Juliana, of Fairbanks, Alaska, and Heitman, of Syracuse, New York, are friends who haven’t seen each other in 10 years. Juliana flew to Cleveland last week for a work conference and the two met, with the specific goal of visiting a community still reeling from the Feb. 3 train derailment.
“People around the world know what happened here, and we are concerned American citizens,” Juliana said. “It’s a beautiful city.”
The two visited a station near the railroad crossing, ate at Sprinklz on Top, and headed out to North Market Street. “We’ve been shopping all day,” Heitzman said. “We want to buy something in every store.”
The friends at Manetta Furniture & Decor, 77 N. Market St., said owner Melissa James of the sign, appreciates the compliment, because foot traffic has been slow this year, so the friends bought three shirts.
Weekly shopping
Heidi Shiderly of Enon Valley, Pa., lived here 30 years ago, knows many of the store owners and said she worries people will avoid the area because of negative press, rumors or fear.
Shiderly usually shops with her mother. They start at one end of town and stop at businesses for food, shopping, or just to say “hello.”
The evacuation order was lifted on February 8, and since then Shiderly and her mother have shopped East Palestine 27 times.
“It’s a nice town with nice people,” she said. “Always has been and always will be.”
The residents and business owners are warm and friendly people, Shiderly said, adding that East Palestine has a “small town feel” that many people miss. She thinks it would be great if families living outside of East Palestine could drive for a day to support the shops and restaurants.
Business owners, some hurt, like that, too, she added, “They’re nice, nice people … drive by and see for yourself.”
Spring Fling
The East Palestine Chamber of Commerce will host a Spring Fling in town on Saturday from 9am to 4pm. Breakfast with the Easter Bunny and China Auction will be held at the Community Center, 31 Park Ave. Medical bags will be given to the first 100 children to participate.
Most businesses in town will have discounts and sales, and officials hope to boost business and draw people back into the community. Manetta hosts an Easter Egg Hunt for adults and prizes include discounts that can be used in stores.
East Palestine Council officials and Mayor Trent Conaway did not respond to requests from this newspaper to discuss the economic impact of the collapse.
But Guy Covillo, president/CEO of the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber’s foundation is planning events to help retail businesses in East Palestine with a short “East Palestine Days” later this month.
“We want to do what we can to help retail establishments in East Palestine,” Covillo said.
UPTICK
The eastbound Norfolk Southern train was loaded with hazardous chemicals and a controlled burn was started to prevent an explosion, officials said. The city was evacuated and businesses were closed for several days.
The company promised to make things right in the community, and James said that the company representative bought 20 shirts from her.
Joy Mascher, owner of Flowers Direct, 99 N. Market St., Norfolk Southern, buys flowers and vases from her and donates them to nursing homes. She said she missed a lot of Valentine’s Day business, but hopes to bounce back by prom and Mother’s Day.
“We hope we’re not forgotten,” she said.
John Myers, manager of T&M Hardware and Rentals, 193 E. Taggart St, has seen a high level of business activity for cleaning from residents and workers across the city. Patti Zoccolo, coordinator of Our Lady of Lloret in the city, stopped by T&M last week to buy five-gallon buckets and planned to fill them with cleaning supplies donated by a Michigan company.
She said Rich Ferris, a grand knight with the local Knights of Columbus, distributes buckets of materials on a first-come, first-served basis, and the two are happy to buy local. “I know these people must be hurting a little,” she said.
hope
Brittain Motors owner Tom Brittain, 57, grew up in East Palestine, where his grandfather founded the company 98 years ago. He said he sees hope in the community and believes Norfolk Southern is keeping its promise. Despite the negative and “sentimental” press she received as a reporter for local and overseas news organizations, she explained, good things are happening in the city.
“We are doing well,” he said. “I have no doubt that everything will return to normal.”
Juliana and Heitzman said the purpose of their visit was to reflect on the devastation and send condolences to the community. They showed up to thank Fire Chief Keith Drabik and his crew for their work after the derailment.
“Many lives have been affected by this,” she said. “This is any city, America.”
news@vindy.com
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