On June 1, 2011, a freak series of surprise tornadoes touched down in Springfield, Mass., and several surrounding towns in the area known as the Pioneer Valley. The tornadoes — extremely rare in the Northeast, particularly in urban areas — killed at least four people, injured more than 300 and caused over $140 million in damage.
Now, five months later, the city says it owes its recovery in part to meetings and conventions, several of which were scheduled to take place in Springfield in June, according to the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau. Despite the tornadoes, many of those groups kept their plans to meet in western Massachusetts, infusing the storm-torn region with hotel and meeting site bookings, as well as leisure spending.
One such group was the New England Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which held its annual meeting for the first time in Springfield on the weekend following the tornados. Their meeting site, the MassMutual Center, had become a makeshift Red Cross shelter immediately following the disaster, according to the Greater Springfield CVB, which said the Lutheran group "jumped right in to help the many people in the region who found themselves homeless and sought aid there." Some of the areas that the group had planned to visit were inaccessible due to storm damage, but church members focused on collecting a truckload of food for the Food Bank of Western New England.
The group — which had already booked Springfield for 2011 and 2012, and subsequently committed to 2013 and 2014, as well — said its annual meeting had always been structured around the theme of putting faith in action through public service. Its 2011 meeting, however, put that theme to the test.
"It really did remind us that when things happen, we can adjust or increase our energies," said the Rev. Alice Kerr Laird, associate to the bishop. "It was so powerful this year."
Another group that met in Springfield after the tornadoes was Mid-Hudson Promotions, the company that hosts the Antique & Modern Firearm Show at West Springfield's Eastern States Exposition, which held its show June 4 and 5 as originally scheduled. The company teamed up with show patrons to raise over $1,700 for tornado relief.
A third group, the New England Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, won't meet in Springfield until April 2012 but already has donated money to a local elementary school to help them rebuild their library, which was lost in the tornado.
"There is this connection to our community from these outside groups," said Greater Springfield CVB President Mary Kay Wydra. "I think it speaks to how well groups are treated when they arrive here in the Pioneer Valley. We were all very touched by everyone's generosity. And the good news is that we rebounded quickly and have continued to enjoy a brisk convention schedule in the region."