The Children’s Home in Peoria has a new dual-purpose storm shelter at its “Youth Farm” on Plank Road. The non-profit held a ribbon cutting Tues. for the FEMA-rated shelter.
“We wanted a safe place for the kids to be able to get out in case of inclement weather, tornados such, were always worried about it, always trying to figure out a way to make this happen, especially after the tornados that just hit in Washington,” Mike Gabbert, director of facilities at Children’s Home, said.
Gabbert says more than $350,000 shelter was funded primarily through donations from events, like the cattle auction at Weaver Farms last fall.
When it’s not being used for protection, the new structure serves as a recreation center for kids at the home.