Jun
10
5:51 PM
A Flood of Help
Just a quick note of thanks here!
As I write this our storm relief event with the Red Cross is underway, and our collection is around $80,000. The power of the tornadoes and floods was stunning, and it is our great privilege to offer a way to channel people’s desire to help. Our telethon from 7:30-8:30 tonight includes some nice surprises, as well as some of the stunning photos and footage of this historic flood. I hope many of you will have a chance to see it.
Thanks to everyone who has pledged and donated so far - we’re looking forward to an even greater total by the end of tonight!
One more thing - we love to hear what’s on YOUR mind, so if you have flood stories or thoughts to share, I hope you will do so here!
-Trisha
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I took a vacation day and worked for eight hours cleaning up a friend’s home in Franklin. The famous folk singer Pete Seeger once said, in reference to getting something done, “it takes hands and hearts and heads to do it.” If only every able-bodied person in the area could offer their hands for those in need, think of what could be done!
While I was part of the flood in Martinsville, I consider myself one of the lucky ones. Yes, I had to be rescued by boat from my house in Artesian Acres, but at least I still have my house. When I was finally boated out at 6 p.m. last Saturday, I had water up around the house, but not in yet. I had no idea what I would find when I returned. Fortunately, for me, I was fine. However, my parents weren’t so lucky. I have spent the past week helping them move things out of their house and watched my dad remove carpet from their house. They only had 3 to 4 inches of water in their house so they consider themselves lucky that they only lost that much. Just two years ago they had sold a duplex on Southview Dr., a duplex that would have cost them everything had they still been there. In the same neighborhood as my parents, several families have had basement walls collapse. One of these families includes a good friend. I spent today helping her get the last of their belongings out of the house; they have no idea what they will do. My son has two friends who lived in the worst hit area along Southview Dr. They have lost everything. I know a gal from our church who lived in the Country View Apts. who has lost everything. Again, I consider myself very lucky, but now every time it rains, I get anxious wondering if I will have to worry about it flooding like that again. As I had watched the tornado stories unfold from last week, I kept thinking about how I never wanted to see a natural diaster in my lifetime, and within a few days I was in the middle of a flood. My thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost everything and for those who have cared enough to either help physically and/or financially for those in need.