ROCK ISLAND — Severe weather, including high winds clocked at above 90 mph, swept through central Illinois on Monday, July 21, causing extended power outages and damage to property and trees but leaving parish churches, schools and other Catholic facilities free of serious damage.

Storm damage was widespread in the Quad Cities and the surrounding
areas.

Two fatalities were reported. Dustin Stuebs, 4, and his 9-month-old
sister Savannah, died after a large tree limb fell on them at a campground
in Colona.

A tornado hit Atkinson, and damage was reported in Annawan and
Geneseo. Some areas in the Quad Cities remained without electricity
after the storm for the rest of the week.

The Diocese of Peoria received reports of damage from parishes in
the Quad Cities, Atkinson and Abingdon, said Melissa Block, claims/risk manager for Catholic Mutual Group, which insures diocesan
and parish facilities.

“Most of the calls we’ve had have been reports of downed trees. No
damage to any (church-owned) buildings, though,” Block told The
Catholic Post.

Calvary Cemetery in Rock Island suffered extensive tree loss as high winds uprooted or felled 31 trees, according to Gregory Vogele,
director of the Calvary Cemetery Association of Rock Island.

Cleanup and restoration of some damaged monuments could take until next spring, he said.

In Geneseo, Peter and Linda Gillet, farmers who belong to St. Malachy’s Parish, lost their barn and silo, and other farmers in the Geneseo area suffered crop damage, according to Connie Park, parish secretary.

At Christ the King Parish in Moline, there was power in the Believers
Together Center last Thursday, but the church and rectory were sill without power four days after the storm, according to Father Donald
Levitt, pastor.