Help Restore Debi's Flooded House
Donation protected
My name is Bona (Austin) Collins, and I live in Houston, Texas, with my husband Mike. I grew up in Sinton, Texas, a small town near Corpus Christi. We had only around 180 kids in our HS graduation class, and pretty much everyone knew everyone else. One of my friends from early childhood is Debi (Howick) Crisp. She has a beautiful smile and a cheery attitude. She grew up living outside of town and was lucky enough to have a horse. She has always loved horses!
I want to share a personal story about Debi and the recent Louisiana flood disaster. Debi has lived in Louisiana for years, and she and her husband, JV Hennessey, have a home on some acreage in Hammond, LA (near Baton Rouge). They have 2 dogs and 2 horses, Cisco and Mia. The record rainfall in Hammond this August resulted in super fast-rising flood waters that invaded both their property and their home.
The level of the water rose so quickly that they escaped with only their dogs and horses. The water was so deep that Debi rode out on Mia, JV led Cisco, and they floated the dogs out. No cars. No possessions. No photos. It happened that fast.
The flood water ended up between 4 to 5' deep in the house. They had to rely first on temporary shelters for food and beds, and now are staying in a motel that will allow pets. The horses are in temporary quarters. One car seems to have somewhat survived the flood waters.
Seeing and smelling flood damage to a building has to be experienced to fully absorb the breadth of damage. The odors are not something you ever want to smell again. I know, because my home flooded twice when I was a kid. Walls are soaked, and water lurks behind and underneath bathtubs. Sheetrock crumbles away, wooden doors and trim crack and warp, and insulation wicks the water right up in the walls. Possessions are destroyed, photos are ruined, and dangerous bacteria has to be cleansed off of everything. Taking the interior of a house apart and then putting it back together again after a flood is a massive and expensive job. And Debi and her husband don' t have flood insurance.
That's right. No flood insurance. They do NOT live in a flood zone, and the area has never before flooded. Many, many of the impacted folks in Louisiana are in that same boat. Now they must rely on FEMA for help, and dig deep into their pockets to try to restore their home. Then furnish it all over again. With 4-5' of water in the home, very few interior items can be salvaged.
My husband, Mike, and I are working with other friends to help Debi and JV start the immense task of their home restoration. It is going to be a significant cost for them. A number of people are asking how they can help, so we have decided to set up this fund to collect money to pay for materials to use in the demolition, cleansing, and rebuilding efforts. I want you to know that I am directly managing the fund, and will be writing the checks out for the purchased materials and services. I want you to rest assured that I will diligently track all expenditures and the spending of everyone's contributions throughout the entire project. Please feel free to ask if you want to see how we have applied the funds we are raising.
Although Mike and I are going to be taking initial materials to help us with the first stage, demolition and cleansing, the expenditures will quickly increase to a level that a small group of us cannot manage on our own. Over this next weekend - Labor Day - a number of us are driving from both the Houston and Corpus Christi areas up to Hammond to do the demolition and cleansing. A couple of weeks later, after the house dries out, we will be going back to help with the basics of the rebuilding. They will then have to engage professionals to redo flooring, tile work, trim carpentry, etc. Then buy and install new appliances, and finally refurnish their home.
If you could be so kind as to donate any amount to this fund that you are comfortable giving, it will be greatly appreciated. Debi and her husband have a long road ahead of them, and will truly appreciate every nickel of support and every minute of labor that people can grace them with. We all thank you in advance for reading this story, and for any support you can provide,
I want to share a personal story about Debi and the recent Louisiana flood disaster. Debi has lived in Louisiana for years, and she and her husband, JV Hennessey, have a home on some acreage in Hammond, LA (near Baton Rouge). They have 2 dogs and 2 horses, Cisco and Mia. The record rainfall in Hammond this August resulted in super fast-rising flood waters that invaded both their property and their home.
The level of the water rose so quickly that they escaped with only their dogs and horses. The water was so deep that Debi rode out on Mia, JV led Cisco, and they floated the dogs out. No cars. No possessions. No photos. It happened that fast.
The flood water ended up between 4 to 5' deep in the house. They had to rely first on temporary shelters for food and beds, and now are staying in a motel that will allow pets. The horses are in temporary quarters. One car seems to have somewhat survived the flood waters.
Seeing and smelling flood damage to a building has to be experienced to fully absorb the breadth of damage. The odors are not something you ever want to smell again. I know, because my home flooded twice when I was a kid. Walls are soaked, and water lurks behind and underneath bathtubs. Sheetrock crumbles away, wooden doors and trim crack and warp, and insulation wicks the water right up in the walls. Possessions are destroyed, photos are ruined, and dangerous bacteria has to be cleansed off of everything. Taking the interior of a house apart and then putting it back together again after a flood is a massive and expensive job. And Debi and her husband don' t have flood insurance.
That's right. No flood insurance. They do NOT live in a flood zone, and the area has never before flooded. Many, many of the impacted folks in Louisiana are in that same boat. Now they must rely on FEMA for help, and dig deep into their pockets to try to restore their home. Then furnish it all over again. With 4-5' of water in the home, very few interior items can be salvaged.
My husband, Mike, and I are working with other friends to help Debi and JV start the immense task of their home restoration. It is going to be a significant cost for them. A number of people are asking how they can help, so we have decided to set up this fund to collect money to pay for materials to use in the demolition, cleansing, and rebuilding efforts. I want you to know that I am directly managing the fund, and will be writing the checks out for the purchased materials and services. I want you to rest assured that I will diligently track all expenditures and the spending of everyone's contributions throughout the entire project. Please feel free to ask if you want to see how we have applied the funds we are raising.
Although Mike and I are going to be taking initial materials to help us with the first stage, demolition and cleansing, the expenditures will quickly increase to a level that a small group of us cannot manage on our own. Over this next weekend - Labor Day - a number of us are driving from both the Houston and Corpus Christi areas up to Hammond to do the demolition and cleansing. A couple of weeks later, after the house dries out, we will be going back to help with the basics of the rebuilding. They will then have to engage professionals to redo flooring, tile work, trim carpentry, etc. Then buy and install new appliances, and finally refurnish their home.
If you could be so kind as to donate any amount to this fund that you are comfortable giving, it will be greatly appreciated. Debi and her husband have a long road ahead of them, and will truly appreciate every nickel of support and every minute of labor that people can grace them with. We all thank you in advance for reading this story, and for any support you can provide,
Organizer and beneficiary
Bona Collins
Organizer
Spring, TX
Debra Crisp
Beneficiary