CROFTON, Neb. — A northeast Nebraska gym is showing incredible resilience after a fire threatened to extinguish the dreams of its young gymnasts. With hearts heavy, the athletes of Flippers Gymnastics in Crofton wondered if their season was over before it even began.

Flippers Gymnastics was founded in 2011 by Sarah Petersen in Yankton, South Dakota, with a mission to empower young girls through the sport. The program quickly thrived, leading to a move to a larger facility in Crofton, which now serves over 300 gymnasts. However, on August 2nd, Petersen received a phone call at 6 a.m. that would change everything. Her building was on fire, and firefighters had to cut into the roof to combat the blaze.

"To see the extent of the damage, it was devastating," Petersen shared, choked up with emotion. "It’s hard to see your life's work go down the tubes.”

An assessment of the damage confirmed their worst fears. While not entirely unexpected, the reality of how little could be salvaged was heartbreaking. "We are hoping to save the balance beams, and we're hoping to save the base of our tumble track. Other than that, there's nothing left,” Petersen said.

As a pillar of the Crofton community, word of the tragedy spread quickly, and help poured in from every direction. Gyms have offered their facilities for practice, providing a temporary solution while Flippers Gymnastics works to rebuild. Calvary Elite Gymnastics even set up a GoFundMe page within five hours of the fire, showcasing the community's immediate response.

Looking ahead, Petersen, her family, and the community plan to undertake 90% of the rebuilding work themselves. Hiring contractors for a complete renovation of the building would cost at least $300,000. By doing much of the work themselves, they hope to stretch the insurance payout and get the girls back in the gym as soon as possible.

"While we've lost almost everything, the incredible support flooding in from gymnastics companies, family, and communities has been a beacon of hope," Petersen said. "This wave of generosity is fueling my determination to keep fighting for the girls who've poured their hearts into gymnastics."

The road to recovery is long, and Little Flippers needs assistance. The cleanup has already filled five dumpsters with unusable, burned material, and the entire building needs to be gutted. "I just need support in general," Petersen said. "Everybody's reached out, and it's really meant a lot. Everybody's willing to come and help if we ask them to. It's overwhelming what everybody's done already. I'm not one to ask for help, so for me to ask for people to come and help me is hard because I'm a pretty determined person who does a lot by myself.”

To support the rebuilding efforts, Little Flippers is hosting a fundraiser with live music at the Lewis & Clark Pulley Museum and Crofton Hay Market on September 13th. The event will feature a silent auction starting at 4 p.m., Firestone pizza and a beer garden at 5 p.m., and a live auction at 7 p.m.

For those interested in donating items or volunteering, contact Sarah Petersen at 402-640-1146.