GLOBE, AZ — The banging of the hammer at Power Elite Dance Company on historic Broad Street in Downtown Globe has replaced the music that once filled the room...at least for now.
"It's been hard," explains owner and Globe native Tina McCarey, but she also explains there is reason to be positive.
Since ABC15's Nick Ciletti met Tina on October 30, she says concrete has been poured and she's moving forward with rebuilding her dance studio, a Globe staple since 1970 when it was founded by her mother, Lynn.
For generations, Tina and her mom have helped young Gila County dancers achieve their dreams on the dance floor and beyond.
After the flooding in September, the floors were covered with mud; Tina showed us how high the water level had climbed inside the dance studio, with water rushing in through the front and the back.
Tina says, despite having roughly $250,000 in repairs she needs to make, she feels lucky considering when the flooding took place - on a Friday evening when the dance studio was not hosting any classes.
"I would have left, I would have walked away had we lost a child. But we didn't. So it gave me the power to say, 'Build it back up.'"
And that's exactly what Tina has been doing for the past nearly two months. Thankfully, she doesn't have to do it alone. She says it's been "amazing" to see her hometown come together to help one another.
"A little girl came in recently and said, 'I want to make cookies and sell them and help you, Ms. Tina!' and I thought, 'Oh my gosh!' It was from her heart," explains Tina. "And I'll put myself back on the line to build it back for these kids."
Tina says there have been tough moments - financially, physically, and emotionally - but she is grateful for the support she's getting at home.
"My husband. My family - they are all behind me and never said to close it down. They said, 'You can do it.' And I want that for our town."
Tina explains that many of the businesses in Downtown Globe did not have flood insurance because it is simply too expensive, especially for people who own multiple parcels like she does. Unfortunately, that means she won't be getting any insurance help to rebuild. There have been two funds created to help the dance studio get back on its feet.
Click here to donate to a Zeffy account, and click here for their GoFundMe.
