Originally published in The Weekly Packet, February 11, 2016
by Faith DeAmbrose

The Tree of Life food pantry and its sister organization, The TurnStyle, will be closed until further notice due to a furnace malfunction that filled the building with heavy, noxious fumes.

According to Tree of Life volunteer Peggy Hopkins, the damage was found Tuesday, February 9, when people entered the building to put away a food delivery.

She said the organization’s insurance agent has been called and all are working to get back up and running as soon as possible, but the food pantry will definitely be closed for its regular day on Thursday, February 11. Both businesses will remain closed until they can be thoroughly and professionally cleaned. There was no physical damage to the buildings.

The top priority will be to reopen the food pantry, which feeds up to 300 families a week, said Hopkins, but she could not say whether the closure would extend more than the one week.