"Happy this is over with:" After storm hits Mayville, St. John's Lutheran School is cleaning up



MAYVILLE -- After heavy rain turned to flooding in Mayville on Wednesday, September 7th it was all about cleaning up and getting back to a normal routine on Thursday, September 8th.



What a difference a day makes.

"We took it a step at a time and we succeeded. We got through there. We were blessed," said St. Johns Lutheran School Principal Kay Koenitzer.

Thursday's scene in and around Mayville's St. John's Lutheran School delivered much drier details.

"I feel relaxed and happy that this is over with," said Koenitzer.



Inside the school is more of the same, as Principal Kay Koenitzer says the half inch or so of water, which lined portions of the lower level, has left the building without doing any significant damage.

In fact, muddy shoe prints outside the daycare, which opens for the afternoon, offered the only mention of moisture.

"We did disinfectant this morning, and we mopped everything up and we had a lot of sand we had to vacuum up and then all the mats went outside -- the ones that weren't out there and then they've all be hosed down and power washed," said Koenitzer.



Meanwhile, what's being called a "sandbag brigade" flexed its strength to help complete the cleanup on the west side of the building as a small group removed a large number of sandbags from along an exterior wall.



"That's great you know it's kids that take ownership in the school. It's pretty much a small school; take ownership, parents come and help out, bring their kids and that's kind of how it works in Mayville," said Eugene Gassner, volunteer.

The property did not escape completely unscathed as removing these ruts will require some effort.

Meanwhile, Koenitzer says school is back in session Friday morning.