Washblog

There is no way to adequately describe the total devastation here.  I am frightened for the people of this conservative county - they are scared to death but very, very proud.  Many have lost everything and FEMA isn't able to help them with more than a $28,000 grant (maximum) and we are looking at street after street of houses that have been red tagged - condemned by the health department or the city engineers.  These folks don't know where to turn and don't want to take hand-outs

All the wells in the flooded areas are contaminated - most are poisoned to the extent that you cannot even touch the water. Boiling the water does nothing except kill some of the e coli.  I had a man come in my United Way Center yesterday with his wife... he had a horrible rash all around and in his mouth (scabbed, raw and bright red) - he figured it wouldn't hurt to just rinse out his mouth with the boiled water... it did.  The doctor appointment and medicines are expensive for someone who has not only lost his home but also his job due to the flooding.

I know the areas and the people who were flooded and know the stories of hundreds of flood victims and would be happy to share this knowledge with the Senator.

I have served as the coordinator for the Centralia United Way Distribution and Donation Drop-off Center since the day it was supposed to open and I walked into the empty hall with my donation of garbage sacks so the donations could be sorted.  There was no one there to take the sacks and at that point I became the coordinator of the Center.  The love and outpouring of kindness and donations has been awe-inspiring.  The needs and fears and bravery of the people affected by the floods has brought me to my knees regularly.

I am incredibly worried about the area.  I'm not sure that some of the smaller towns and little enclaves of houses will ever recover.  Most of the homes left in Doty and Dryad have been damaged beyond repair.  One home has a foundation and the roof (about 20 feet away in the backyard) but no one is sure where the rest of the house is. Pe Ell is inaccessible and all the new housing there is (I have heard) also damaged beyond repair.  Cinebar is wallowing under massive amounts of mud and so many of the farms in this largely agricultural area lost so many of their herds, one dairy farmer lost close to 200 cows, an acquaintance of mine lost 130 sheep.  No one knows exactly how many farm animals perished. It was only the grace of God that there were so few lives lost.

The East end of the county still has not come close to returning to normal after the flooding that hit them over a year ago.

We keep reading that it will be at least two years before things get back to normal barring any more flooding or natural disasters.  No one believes it.  The people here are losing hope.

I have one young woman who now manages to find her way back to the church we are using as the United Way distribution center every time it starts to rain.  She sends her little boy to play with one of the volunteers and I stand and hug her until she can quit shaking and crying.

It is my concern that like New Orleans and some of the back-water places devastated by Katrina, Lewis County will not recover from this disaster.

I could/would put together an event, a speaking engagement, an opportunity to help a family and/or neighborhood with 48 hours notice.  Give me a week for a fundraiser and I could get hundreds of people.

Please give me a call at your convenience and we can talk.  I am at the distribution center from approximately 9:00 a.m. to whenever I finally turn off the lights and leave.

Thanks,

Jan

PS - Knowing where "24susan" lives I wouldn't be at all surprised to hear that she was severely affected by this flooding.  Thanks for the reminder that I need to check on her.

Jan Nontell

Chair, Lewis County Democrats

Also, Jan has been using her cell phone far past the limit of her plan to coordinate the relief efforts. If you can help her pay that bill so she can keep the "on the ground" efforts going, that would be great. Contact me if you can and I'll put you in touch.