Save Mel & Shirley Measeles' home

Mel & Shirley Measeles are two of the sweetest people you could ever meet. Their entire lives have been about family. Their daughters, their grand kids, their brothers and sisters, their now deceased parents, their neighbors and their church.  

I write this from San Antonio and as their son-in-law, having been married to their daughter, Paula, for 33 years. My wife and son are at Mel & Shirley's house along with their other two daughters helping with the cleanup. 

Living in the Houston-Galveston area for decades, Mel & Shirley have donated countless hours of their time to help victims of previous floods, the muscular dystrophy telethon, to the protection of endangered sea turtles, volunteer marriage counseling and too many more causes and needs to list here. Mel even served unpaid as a city council member in Friendswood for many years.

They are the definition of selflessness, always putting others' needs before their own.

Now, Mel & Shirley are in need.

Their home near Clear Creek has never flooded before, but Harvey was too much. The home was flooded and heavily damaged. Mel & Shirley are retired and have limited income and savings. They do not have flood insurance. The modest home they worked so hard for -- raising their three daughrers there, building a lifetime of memories -- needs extensive repairs. 

To list a few: 
- Flooring is ruined and must be replaced.
- Sheet rock is ruined and must be repaired.
- There is likely to be extensive mold in the house.
- Much of the furniture has been destroyed.
- Personal items and heirlooms were destroyed. 
- Food, medicines and essentials were ruined due to lack of power or flood waters.
- Sitting on Houston's infamous clay soil, which moves constantly, the home's foundation is cracked and needs to be leveled.  This alone could be a $50,000+ job.
- The A/C compressors were under water and damaged or destroyed.
- The roof leaked in the unprecedented rain, and damages from this source are still being assessed.

Even the cost to simply sterilize the house after contaminated waters flooded it is $3,000 (a bargain, we are told). And that is just the beginning of the enormous cost of returning the home to livable condition.

As of today, the house is being virtually torn apart. Because the first step is to remove everything ruined by Harvey's flood waters. Mel & Shirley's family, their church and neighbors are on site working on the huge job of removing the debris. 

There are obviously many wonderful people suffering along the Texas coast. We pray for them all to heal and recover. And we hope Mel & Shirley, with your help, also will be able to save their home.  

My pledge and commitment to you is that your donated funds will used soley for repairs of Mel & Shirley's home.  Their family and friends will put in as much sweat equity as possible and our own funds, as well.  If there are any leftover funds, I will ensure they are used for other Harvey victims or for Mel & Shirley's living expenses.  

Thanks for your generosity and prayers.