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Almost a month has
passed since the Upper West Fork flooded. Unless your house or home was
affected, it may have been easy to get on with life. For some, normal
life still seems a bit out of reach.
The Molasses
Festival was a wonderful distraction from the labors of flood recovery,
but now that the weekend celebration has ended, the time has come again
to focus on those who need our help--not just now, but also in the
future.
I haven’t
yet related to readers that those on the Upper West Fork who flooded
aren’t asking for help for themselves. As I worked down the list of
those who reported damages and called them on the phone, I discovered an
interesting development. They didn’t ask for help for themselves--they
asked us to help their neighbors.
For example,
I called one woman who had 18 inches of water in her home. She named a
few items she had lost, but then said, “You really need to talk to
so-and-so. She lost more than I did.”
Another lady
who lost so much said she would not accept any help until all those
flooded who had children or were elderly had all they needed first.
In one
instance, a man’s parents called to list some items he lost, because he
would not ask for himself.
As for furniture and
appliance collections, we have had some positive response, but with the
size of items we are asking for, transportation has been an issue in
some cases. I know what has come into the drop off location downstairs
from my office, and what has arrived at the drop off spot at
Five Forks,
but, with the Molasses Festival and all, I don’t know what has arrived
for us elsewhere to clean, cover, wash or repair during the first full
week of October.
I thank all
who have brought donations so far. Thanks for the area rugs and desks,
beds and freezers, chairs and tables and bedding and money. And I thank
those who are waiting in the sidelines to fill in the gaps which are
left in our collections.
Drop off locations are:
Five
Forks,
Judy
and
Frank
Wolfram,
Kelley Road,
third house on the left; call 354-7069.
Grantsville,
Richards
Building (to the right of
Calhoun
Banks
on Main St.);
drop off on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday only.
Grantsville VFD, call
Karen
Yoak,
354-6812, first, so she can make sure the doors are open.
Chloe,
Upper
West
Fork
Park;
see
Alan
Swisher
on location. You can take items with you when you go to Octoberfest this
Saturday.
Drop off locations in
the northern section of the county will be cleaned out and closed next
week when Houchin’s Construction begins transport for us. If you’ve been
meaning to bring something in, now is the time. All items will be taken
to Upper
West
Fork
Park
where Kelly’s
Home Source’s repairman will assess the appliances, and I (with whomever
else will help me) will work to make sure the furniture is fresh and
clean.
I will be at
the park on Wednesday, Oct. 5, from around
noon
until 5:30 p.m.,
to clean and work on items which have been donated. At 6 p.m.,
the Weather Spotter training session begins. Although already certified,
I will be there too.
If needed, I
will return on Friday morning to clean and scrub until everything is
done.
My husband,
who has seen me try to save the world more times than once, is a little
worried that I will be disappointed next week. He’s afraid there will be
few repairable appliances, not nearly enough furniture, and only a
handful who are interested in preventing such a localized disaster in
the future and are willing to participate in the Weather Spotter class.
I’m a little worried
myself.
I realize
the request for furniture and appliances was a big one. I know there are
not many who have an extra washer and dryer or living room suit lying
around. I know those who do have big items may not also have a truck to
haul them. I realize that two hours talking and learning about weather
patterns and behaviors doesn’t exactly sound like fun.
But if you
have a knowledge of appliance repair, or can manage a bottle of Lysol or
FeBreeze, you can help us continue the recovery from this hard hit to
our community. If you can read a rain gauge or dial a phone, you can
help ensure that we are better prepared in the future for rising waters,
damaging winds, freezing rains or dangerous driving conditions.
And if you
don’t like me, or someone at our drop off locations, or someone somehow
involved, you can attend one of the fundraisers which are occurring in
the southern end of Calhoun
and in Clay
County
by churches in the area. So, no matter who you are, what you have, what
limitations you face . . . you can still help.
Some people,
like many on the Upper West Fork, have issues asking for help. I have no
such issues.
Please,
participate.
Help. |