On July 31 the Flippers Gymnastics posted a video of one of their athletes performing a textbook dismount off a balance beam inside the gym in downtown Crofton, and the next post, August 2, news broke about a fire that had engulfed the entire building.
Around 6 a.m. on August 2, Flippers owner Sarah Petersen told News Channel Nebraska that she had received a phone call that her building was on fire, and that the firefighters had “to cut into the roof to combat the blaze.”
The building and, for all purposes, all of its interior equipment, mats, and gymnastics structure had been destroyed.
Petersen was quoted saying that aside from a few structures, “other than that, there’s nothing left.”
“Yesterday was completely devastating,” said Petersen on a post on August 3. “I lost everything I have put my heart into for so long. But with the strength of all of my amazing Flippers families and the out poor of love and support from all the gymnastics companies in Nebraska and South Dakota along with random stranger willing to help we will come back stronger and better than ever. I have to give a huge shout out to Hailey with Calvary Elite Gymnastics & Tumbling as she has gone above and beyond to help and support Flippers Gymnastics. I want to thank my husband for being by my side and holding me up. It's an anniversary we will never forget. Also, I can never express the thanks and gratitude that I have for all the Flippers parents who helped me through yesterday having you all around make me strong. Thank you to Wiebelhaus for allowing us to have a dry place to sit and a huge thank you to all the fireman from Crofton, Fordyce and Yankton your hard work will always be appreciated along with how sympathetic and kind you all were on this horrible day.”
Fire Departments from Crofton, Fordyce and Yankton responded to the call.
With the fire put out, what followed in the next few days could only be considered an outpouring of support from other gymnastics businesses and groups, families involved, businesses involved and news coverage that spread the disaster far and wide, which has only increased the efforts.
Posts to the Flippers social media has already reported nearly $50,000 in support raised, from a GoFundMe by Calvary Elite Gymnastics, a Pampered Chef sale with Misty Ollendick, and an auction at an Extreme Bull-riding event in Yankton, and more.
Additional support has already been scheduled for September 13 with a community fundraiser at the Lewis & Clark Pulley Museum.
That Saturday evening there will be a silent auction at 4 p.m., with winners announced at 6:30 p.m.; pizza and a beer garden at 5 p.m. and a live auction and live music at 7 p.m. and following.
All proceeds of the event will go to helping the business rebuild.
Anyone wanting to contribute or donate to the silent or live auction can contact Sarah Petersen at 402-640-1146, can visit the ongoing GoFundMe and searching “Flippers”, shopping at the Pampered Chef site on their social media link.