The Big Little Flood of 2017
Donation protected
Last month massive amounts of rain caused historic flooding in our little corner of Wisconsin. Rivers flooded 1-3 feet higher than ever previously recorded, flooding homes that have never been threatened by flood waters before , closing highways, wiping out roads and bridges.
Water flooded my sister's home, where we grew up with our grandma and where she lives with her son, her boyfriend, dog and cat. While it was only a couple inches, it destroyed all of their furniture, most possessions, flooring, insulation, walls, and cabinets. There was no flood insurance, and it's unlikely she'll qualify for recovery funds (long story). And to top it off, the stress of evacuating her dog (with thyroid problems) in the middle of the night caused a veterinary emergency.
Asking for help is not something we're accustomed to or comfortable with, but after starting to clear out the house, it's clear it will be needed. If you're able and willing, any little help would be greatly appreciated. They'll be doing all the repairs themselves, so any donations would help to buy new flooring, insulation, cabinets, furniture, etc.
Gift cards for Home Depot, Menards, Lowe's would be great, or if you want to PayPal a donation directly (to avoid this site's fees), let me know and I'll share the email.
Thanks for whatever you can do and your positive energies :)
Update:
Everything's cleared out from inside. Samaritans Purse finished taking insulation out from the crawl space. They removed the lower half of interior walls and exterior siding, and much of the floor boards. So the house is pretty much gutted. The Fridge and dryer are still broke. Most everything but clothes were lost. And the dog was taken in for emergency surgery. She'll now need thyroid medicine and insulin shots every 12 hours for life.
Good news- Water pressure may have fixed itself (crossing fingers). Well water passed the test, yay! And Love Inc will buy $500 worth of subfloor, insulation and a toilet. It's awesome to see local institutions help out that way.
Still, there's so much that needs to be done that's not covered. If folks can help out with even just a little bit, it would go a long way. Especially since they're doing most of the repairs themselves. Update pics soon with Sal in a plastic suit to insulate the crawl space!
Water flooded my sister's home, where we grew up with our grandma and where she lives with her son, her boyfriend, dog and cat. While it was only a couple inches, it destroyed all of their furniture, most possessions, flooring, insulation, walls, and cabinets. There was no flood insurance, and it's unlikely she'll qualify for recovery funds (long story). And to top it off, the stress of evacuating her dog (with thyroid problems) in the middle of the night caused a veterinary emergency.
Asking for help is not something we're accustomed to or comfortable with, but after starting to clear out the house, it's clear it will be needed. If you're able and willing, any little help would be greatly appreciated. They'll be doing all the repairs themselves, so any donations would help to buy new flooring, insulation, cabinets, furniture, etc.
Gift cards for Home Depot, Menards, Lowe's would be great, or if you want to PayPal a donation directly (to avoid this site's fees), let me know and I'll share the email.
Thanks for whatever you can do and your positive energies :)
Update:
Everything's cleared out from inside. Samaritans Purse finished taking insulation out from the crawl space. They removed the lower half of interior walls and exterior siding, and much of the floor boards. So the house is pretty much gutted. The Fridge and dryer are still broke. Most everything but clothes were lost. And the dog was taken in for emergency surgery. She'll now need thyroid medicine and insulin shots every 12 hours for life.
Good news- Water pressure may have fixed itself (crossing fingers). Well water passed the test, yay! And Love Inc will buy $500 worth of subfloor, insulation and a toilet. It's awesome to see local institutions help out that way.
Still, there's so much that needs to be done that's not covered. If folks can help out with even just a little bit, it would go a long way. Especially since they're doing most of the repairs themselves. Update pics soon with Sal in a plastic suit to insulate the crawl space!
Organizer and beneficiary
Bridget Smith
Organizer
Salem, WI
Shannon Smith
Beneficiary
