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Owners of fire-damaged businesses count blessings
After a Friday fire heavily damaged four downtown businesses, two of the owners did not spend the weekend feeling sorry for themselves.
Instead, Dr. Perry Wainman and Lester and Judy Wilson are feeling glad to be walking away with their health and the chance to start over.
"We are blessed," Wainman said. "We walked away."
Blessed that the damage was not even worse. Blessed that the fire did not happen at a different time of day or the week. Blessed to have seen a town come together to support them.
"This is just a setback," Lester Wilson said, saying a business or home -- and their building was both -- damaged by fire is nothing compared to losing a loved one.
Chatting together about the fire on Sunday afternoon, Wainman and the Wilsons reflected on how the timing could have been much worse.
On a different day of the week, there might have been a half dozen patients in the dentist's office, rather than just one or two.
A few hours earlier and the Wilsons, along with their two adult children and four grandchildren, would have been sleeping soundly, oblivious to the growing fire on their second-story patio.
An overnight fire would also not have been so easily spotted as it was by morning driver Wes Wilson, who called the fire department and helped alert both Wainman's office and the Wilsons.
Even five minutes earlier, the Wilsons' grandchildren would not have been safely on the school bus, away from the danger.
Outside of what might have been, the question of "where do we go from here?" now rears its head.
For now, the Wilsons are staying with another daughter north of town, so they have a roof over their head until a better plan develops.
"We're trashed upstairs," Lester said. "We will not be up there anytime soon."
While resuming business isn't even a question on anyone's mind yet, salvaging the property inside the businesses is an ongoing effort.
Lester Wilson said all computers, cameras and other equipment have been removed from their Wilson's Photography, Wilson Formal Wear and Buzz Bomb Graphics business at 24 and 26 E. Washington St.
Even their $40,000 specialty printer has been moved to another location for repair.
While situations like this can often be a nightmare with insurance companies, the Wilsons have nothing but praise for insurance agent Keith Brackney of Hayes Murphy Sharp Brackney Insurance.
"Keith Brackney is a big hero for us right now," Lester said.
The storefront of Wainman's practice has been boarded up, but further work is scheduled on Monday to not only secure the practice's records, but to secure them offsite.
As for the digital records, Wainman had them backed up offsite nightly by 12 Point Technologies. The dentist said his situation was a lesson to other business owners, as 12 Point was contacted by three other people about similar services before the end of the day Friday.
For Wainman, today will bring meetings with the insurance company, electricians and state dental officials.
As the first business day following the fire, it will be the day of starting to find a direction for all of the business owners, including the Pawn Store and Greencastle Furniture, which were also damaged by the fire.
Until they are back on their feet, the Wilsons and Wainman know they have help from the community. Local photographers Amber Bowers and Marilyn Culler have offered equipment or to do photo shoots if needed.
Likewise, Wainman said other local dentists have offered their services if needed. He said another dentist should be contacted in the event of a dental emergency. For routine matters, patience is requested from Dr. Wainman's patients.
"This town really came together," Wainman said.
The business side of things will sort itself out. All involved are sure of that.
In the meantime, everyone is glad things weren't worse, a sentiment Greencastle Furniture owner Joe Garrison expressed on Friday.
"I could care less about my store," Garrison said. "I'm just glad everyone is here."