Morris Flood Recovery

Memorial Day weekend 2019, evacuation was necessary. The water was rising quickly as dams all around the northeastern part of Oklahoma were being opened. 

What could easily be moved upstairs, was (family photos and such), and the food was cleaned out of the freezer and fridge. And then Mom locked the door and floated away in a boat.

Over the next few days we received daily photos of the water rising around and into our childhood home, our home base, Pops and Nini's house. The whole five acres became submerged in nasty water coming from who knows where.

Saturday, June 1, the water began to recede and our parents were finally able to get the front door open after much prying. The wood floors had buckled perpendicular to the door and the door frame was swollen with water.

Mom and Dad surveyed the damage, slowly walking through the house in their mud boots and masks. The water left an extremely defined line, averaging about 15 inches around the house, and many things were relocated from floating around - like the deep freeze.

As the three of us girls and our families reside in Oklahoma City, the United Kingdom, and Colorado, we've waited and watched from our phones, anticipating the next photos to be sent. We all grew up here, we all learned to read here, we all helped renovate, add on, and maintain this house and land. It's in our blood.

Is there insurance? Yes.
Is it enough? Not even close. 

So many of our friends and family have asked if there is a way to make a donation to Dwight and Anita. Well, here ya' go!

We've set a fairly modest goal at this time, as we're still trying to wrap our minds around what it's going to cost for basic needs to be met in the coming weeks and months.

Here is what we envision donations being used for:
   - mitigation costs (clean up, dumpsters, haul off, drying, air purifying, etc.)
   - supplies (masks, boxes, gloves, etc.)
   - assist with payment of insurance deductible
   - cost of accommodations when couches and spare rooms are not available (insurance doesn't pay a dime)
   - help offset costs when people host
   - food (no food storage available)
   - fuel and travel costs (driving back and forth to the house from wherever sleep happened; helping a daughter get there to help)
   - storage costs for items that are salvageable
   - eventual rebuilding
          *while we don't know what the insurance claim will be classified as, regardless, nearly all furniture was lost. there isn't a couch to sit on or a table to eat at. even while clean up is happening.
   - a little bit of help with travel costs (daughters trying to rotate through to help - flights, rental cars, time away from jobs)