Linda´s Vernonia Experience

                                  
                            Linda and Kerrie Constance September 2008

In 1996, Portland had some very unusual flooding.  The community came together and took care of the areas of town hit worse.  Most Portlanders thought the worst was over.

A few weeks after the Portland metropolitan area flooded, I received a call from some folks in Vernonia.  They informed me of a mother and four children in desperate need of help.  The woman´s home had flooded and each of her four children was now staying with a different family while she stayed in a borrowed trailer in front of her home.

Three friends and myself, traveled to Vernonia to see if we could be of assistance.  The process of helping this family would turn out to be a long and tedious venture.  But, the mother´s only wish was to be reunited with her children and that seemed a worthy cause.

A team of real estate brokers from Portland found an old Masons´ building in downtown Vernonia.  They worked to restore the building and presented it to the woman so she could reunite her family.  A bathroom was installed and the kitchen was fully remodeled.  To top it all off, we paid the rent and helped relocate the family into their snug, temporary abode.

The family lived there until their home could be rebuilt.  The foundation on their new home was raised six feet to protect against future flooding.  A year or so after the 1996 flood claimed their home the family was able to move back to their property.

Vernonia settled back to normal after that big flood and business went on as usual.

Now, fast-forward 11 years to December 4^th, 2007.  A Second flood hit Vernonia and this time the waters were

deeper and meaner than they had been in 1996.  Upon hearing the news, I immediately called the city of Vernonia to see if there were any families that I might be able to help.  

The answer was, "Yes, of course!" 

I then asked if there was a family that needed more long term help than others.  The names given to me were Wes and Kerrie Constance and their surrogate mother, Elsie.

I drove to Vernonia a few days later.  Seeing the Constance´s property for the first time was jaw dropping.  I took photos of that first day to remind myself of the total devastation.  I have included a few of these photos on a PowerPoint presentation I created shortly thereafter.  Additionally, I asked Kerrie to write out her flood story.  It was both difficult and therapeutic for her to write out her experience.

The more the word spreads that our neighbors have been hurt and are in need of help, the more we can come together as a community and help deserving families like, Wes and Kerrie, in their hour of need.