Vicki's Flood Relief Fund!

My mom needs your help.  She owns a home on Pistakee Lake in Fox Lake, IL, and has been devastated by the recent Lake County flooding.  It has been declared a disaster area.  Now that the water is starting to recede, the battle has only just begun.  She hasn’t had any running water since Friday, July 14th and it is STILL off.  My mom and her neighbors are surround by 30-36” of water.  Cars are parked about a mile away and any reinforcements must be carried, or towed by boat, through thigh-high water.  Carrying on life “as usual” is not a reality as many local stores and banks are closed due to flooding. Local area hardware stores are sold out of everything they need and many people in this area are hurting.

Since losing my Dad in 2011, my mom, Vicki, has been through a lot.  But, with the support of friends and family and a lot of determination, she bought her first home in 2014.  The house is older, but she loves being on the lake – and it’s hers.  She has been working to make repairs and updates since the initial purchase.  It’s been slow going and she works 2 jobs, but it’s hers and has been a wonderful oasis. 

I am sure you have seen the news lately about all of the flooding in Lake County, IL.  We all experienced a lot of rain around the week of July 10th and the water levels began to rise.  Toward the end of that week, as the rest of us began to dry out, the Pistakee Lake kept rising.  Storm water was draining into the Chain of Lakes from Wisconsin.  On Wednesday, July 12th, Vicki’s sump pump failed and her crawl space started to flood.  The water continued rising and crested during the day on Sunday the 16th.  Her garage is flooded and a great deal of her belongs and keepsakes are stored there and have been floating for days. Her crawl space, foundation and deck areas are still standing in water.

Her homeowners insurance will not cover anything – it is a natural event.  She has an open claim with FEMA, but they cannot even come out to assess the damage until all the water is gone and everything has dried out.  The peak flood levels have gone down about 5” over the last 3 days, but it is raining now and expected to storm the next 3 days.  As the water eventually goes away, there are many, many issues to be addressed.  Water, trash, and sludge removal. Drying out and assessing the property loss.  Mold prevention.  Electrical and plumbing damage.  Structural/foundation issues.  The list goes on and, frankly, it’s totally overwhelming.  Any financial support from FEMA could take months to be received and there is no knowing what it will cover and what it won’t. 

Vicki needs your help now.  Anything you can donate is so appreciated.  It’s hard to know the extent of the damage and she has very few resources to take care of these things – let alone lost wages at work, etc. We will continue to post updates, but my mom could really use your help today.  Thank you for your help in advance, no matter what shape it takes – prayer, sharing this go fund me campaign on social media, donations, or all three!  THANK YOU!