Nine months after a tornado tore through the village of Holly, the American Legion post is celebrating its reopening after extensive damage to the building.

"It's people helping people and you don't see that in a lot of communities anymore," said Tina Thurlow, commander of the American Legion in Holly.

The tornado ripped shingles from the roof, shredded insulation and cracked the walls of the building.

"In places, it was open over half an inch. You could see outside," said Steve Striggow, the finance officer for the post.

Despite the destruction, Thurlow says two things remained intact: the priceless memories preserved in the building and the community's willingness to help.

"We have pictures and articles from veterans that are long gone that have done a lot for our country and not on

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