PARK CITY — Volunteers will help a man move his garage on property in Park City that was damaged during the Yellowstone River flooding in the spring of 2022.
The community will come together to help move a 1,200-square-foot building that weighs about 9,000 pounds.
The man who owns the property lost his home on the Yellowstone River during the flooding, and the effort has been a big boost to help keep his property.
Saturday, April 6, 2024, is moving day for Park City resident Mike Kinsey — but it won't resemble a move that most Montanans have ever seen.
About 150 volunteers will physically pick up Kinsey's garage.
"I felt defeated until Nelson came into my life and started talking about doing this for cookies," said Kinsey.
Nelson Troyer and his son Virgil have been preparing the building.
Kinsey asked about paying the people who would be helping.
“I said, how... would I pay all these 100 people to come and move my garage at one time?" Kinsey said. “And he said a cookie perhaps or some nourishment would suffice. That's what he said to me.”
Troyer is a member of the Amish community near Roberts and is the mastermind behind the project.
He put hurricane clips at the top of the trestles, attached wooden planks to the walls for stability, and is using 2-by-4s to build spots to lift the building.
Troyer had been working on the neighbor's barn when Kinsey asked him if he could work on his garage.
"I was going to have Nelson tear it down,” Kinsey said. “He just told me I can't, in my right mind, see destroying that nice building."
“The old fella lost his house on the river,” said Troyer. “Why not reach out and help him?"
After losing his home, Kinsey said he's still trying to recover.
"I've been here since 1977,” said Kinsey, who raised his family in that home. “I'm buried in debt right now on this property, but I'm trying to stay here. Trying to figure out a way to hang on to it and move back down here and live here."
Kinsey said he wants to move the garage to make it easier to bring in equipment and rocks to protect his property from the river.
He is also concerned the river may take more land and damage the garage.
Troyer still may be looking for volunteers and estimates about 156 can fit in the building to move it.
"My goal is to get people together to help Mike,” Troyer said. “He's in need of help."
A helping hand and an unconventional way of pitching in from a community that wants to help.
"I spent three whole days with Nelson," Kinsey said. "And a lot to be said for that lifestyle. If we all live like that in America, we wouldn't have these problems we're facing now. It's been a life-changing experience getting to know this guy."
