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 Post subject: munster needs much more help
PostPosted: Sun Sep 21, 2008 4:39 pm 
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My wife and I spent the day doing volunteer work in Munster, cleaning up flood damage. As soon as we showed up to volunteer, we were told they recommended that we receive tetanus shots and referred us to Westminster Presbyterian Church for free shots. In less than 5 minutes,
we filled out paperwork,were given shots and we were on our way. The amount of donations the church has collected so far is staggering. We went back to a home on Northcote and started working. The home we were sent to had been flooded up to the first floor. Everything in the basement was destroyed. Furnace, hot water heater,washer,dryer,furniture and twenty years worth of this family's possessions were ruined. A crew of about half a dozen volunteers managed to empty the basement in a few hours.Neighborhood kids were bringing water and food to the volunteers. Local residents had set up a tent on Alta Vista to coordinate relief efforts.
The tent is going to be moved to Madison and School st. Monday to help with the area west of Calumet Ave. That area sustained even more damage than the Northcote area. I urge anyone who can spare a few hours to help out. Clothes and donations are nice, but what these people really need are volunteers to help them with the clean-up. Even the people who have insurance can't get adjusters out to look at their property so the repair work can start. Many other residents didn't carry flood insurance and are looking at spending tens of thousands of dollars to make their homes livable.

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 Post subject: Re: munster needs much more help
PostPosted: Sun Sep 21, 2008 6:13 pm 
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My cousins are hosting relatives from Munster - probably for the next few months.

KarenT


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 Post subject: Re: munster needs much more help
PostPosted: Sun Sep 21, 2008 6:18 pm 
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karent wrote:
My cousins are hosting relatives from Munster - probably for the next few months.

KarenT

The house that we were working at today will take several months to repair. There is so much
damage in Munster that contractors aren't going to be able to find the manpower to do all the work.

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 Post subject: Re: munster needs much more help
PostPosted: Sun Sep 21, 2008 9:00 pm 
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sparksy you are so right.
there are so many homes damaged it is unbelieveable.
not just a little damage --
many basements that were filled to the rafters,
some of them with water entered the first floor.
homes with collapsed foundations,
homes that were LIFTED off their foundations!

there are plenty of elderly in those areas that have paid off their homes and couldn't afford to keep up with the flood insurance, people on fixed incomes who can't even afford the SBA loans and if FEMA does declare their structures a total loss, all they will get is 28K -- not enough to even pour a new foundation.

there is a need for volunteer manpower to quickly muck out the damaged homes. there are too many homes in immediate need for the contractors to handle -- and yes, I'm sure it will be months before many families will be able to return to their homes.


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 Post subject: Re: munster needs much more help
PostPosted: Sun Sep 21, 2008 11:20 pm 
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Location: Gary
This has got my attention when someone who has always seemed not to have an ounce sympathy for his fellow man speak so passionate for his fellow man.

Herman you are not a Monster as you play to be.

Lets all hope that this tragedy does not repeat itself because that once frozen water that was called the north pole has to go somewhere and no one knows the lasting long term effects. There is definitely some long term climate changes and some patterns are emerging.

I think we the community will have to spring into action more quickly and we need a million sandbags on standby.

I'm quite sure many prisoners that are healthy would take a reduced sentence for filling sand bags .


http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iZn ... -wgVIo77nA

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/ ... 49,00.html

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... efer=india

http://www.thaindian.com/news-snippet/1 ... -4889.html

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1 ... 858C160360


http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerhe ... mblon-town


Are we starting to see the bigger picture what is instore for the region this winter?

The Hurricane seasons is not over.

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 Post subject: Re: munster needs much more help
PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 1:43 am 
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One major difference G. The city of Gary won't help itself. Not necessarily all of the people but the government leaders. So short of the state coming in to both literally and figuratively clean house there's only so much help available for Gary residents.

I'm told a lot of people, not limited to just Gary, have the mistaken impression that FEMA is just gonna issue them some big fat check. But it doesn't quite work that way. The immediate relief comes from the state, like food stamps & such, and maybe FEMA will guarantee a reconstruction loan or something but don't expect to get rich off of the flood.

But of course the more important problem is longer term how to prevent it from happening again. Let's hope it mostly just involves clearing out junk cars or something from the river that the Feds will pick up most of the tab for because about anything more involved Gary just doesn't have the matching funds available to do. The city is credit maxed out!

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 Post subject: Re: munster needs much more help
PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 4:29 am 
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The Times has a story about the volunteer effort. http://www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2008/09/22/news/lake_county/doc6000e731a1a1d62c862574cc000444d9.txt If enough people are willing to donate some of their time to help, we can give these people some hope for the future. I am hoping that the local schools start sending high school kids to do clean-up. Not all of life's lessons come from the classroom.

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 Post subject: Re: munster needs much more help
PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 7:04 am 
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Location: Hammond
Our church had the basement flooded, but it has been cleaned up, and green stickered. There are at least 12 families in our parish, that have been flooded. Of these 12 families, one already has had their house condemned, and cannot fix it. It is a total loss. A few others are waiting to see if they can repair theirs, or if theirs will be condemned also.
Our church has pitched in to help our own, and others. I took a load of new pillows and bedding from our church over to Westminster Presbyterian yesterday.
We have spent the last week helping family, friends, and picking up needed supplies, food, and other things. The magnitude of the destruction is something you really have to see first hand, to believe.
Donations are needed. They still need mens clothes, cleaning supplies, infant clothes, gift cards, cash donations, and cars. They also need cleaning rags, towels, and bedding.
Many cars were totally submerged before the owners could get them out, as the water came up fast. Insurance, for the most part, will not cover the loss of the vehicles. If you got a spare car that runs good, please consider donating it to a family who has lost absolutely everything but the clothes on their backs.

We are going back to the church today, to drop off some more donations.


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 Post subject: Re: munster needs much more help
PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 10:34 am 
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Location: Gary
Donating things can be a hassle when it is in the way and they never come pick to stuff up.

I guess some agencies are in short supply of workers.

I know a guy who has a Volkswagen that he has donated and he has been waiting a very long time for whoever to come pick it up the tires have went flat on it sitting and the plate has expired and it sits on a public street I guess maybe they will get around to it.

I guess short supply of workers to pick it up or maybe they expect him to bring it to them.

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 Post subject: Re: munster needs much more help
PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 10:38 am 
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Location: Gary
Mirage those people living in the part of Gary that flooded are survivors and river rats they have gone through it many times before they know what to do and it will be done by jack legs
quick and in a hurry with a crew of undesirables.

It will be done right in most cases.

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