14
january
vernonia’s
voice
volunteerism
2008
Victims’ Assistance
- The Other Heroes
Outside Volunteers Make
Huge Impact on Recovery Efforts
By Scott Laird
By Scott Laird
As the waters receded from the flood and Emer-
gency First Responders moved from rescue to recov-
ery, another group of volunteers stepped forward to
help their community in its moment of need. As the
Vernonia Community shook off the water on Tuesday
morning, people began showing up at City Hall asking
how they could help.
Pulling from their experience in dealing with the
communities unmet needs after the ‘96 flood, Jim and
Kim Tierney and Dan Brown quickly established a data
bank to record damages sustained by victims of the
flood. New leaders quickly emerged and stepped up to
fill needed roles. Rebecca Wright and Sue Bailey be-
gan interviewing victims gathering important data that
would get victims help as soon as possible. Jesse Jones,
Director of the Community Learning Center, who lives
in Portland and had been unable to reach Vernonia for
two days, arrived and filled a needed supervisory role.
Brenda Skeels began greeting and directing victims as
they came to City Hall with questions. Brenda soon
moved to volunteer coordination, a role later filled by
Rose Peets and Jacob Lee, and as help began pouring
in from outside the community the volunteer coordina-
tors matched up resources and those wanting to help
with those needing it. Julie Prohaska became the new
greeter and information guru, welcoming victims with
a friendly smile and a shoulder to lean on, a willing ear
to listen, and helpful information. Donna Webb arrived
and did a little of everything- as usual. Sue Wagner
walked in and offered her organizational and data entry
skills, and quickly assumed control of donations. Syn-
da Allen, got the keys for Washington Grade School
and set up the first donation center. Curtis Knight with
the help of Aaron Hubbard and Will Charlton stepped
up and organized the distribution center across from
City Hall, supplying citizens with food for the first
week and then cleaning supplies, space heaters and fire
wood. Bud Dow, Dick Titus and the folks at Cedar
Ridge graciously donated use of their properties for the
recovery effort. A crew of people jumped in at the Ver-
nonia Cares Food Bank, and with a host of volunteers
cleaned up and sanitized the building, reopening in just
six days. City Hall became a bee hive of activity. City
staff, especially Joanne Glass, was overrun by phone
calls, volunteers needing space to work and supplies,
and requests for information. Joanne has to be consid-
ered one of the real heroes of the initial effort, as she
worked tirelessly to meet all the demands placed on
city staff.
“These people have just been outstanding,” said
interim City Administrator Aldie Howard. “Everyone
has performed to a level that was just unexpected. Ev-
eryone has done the best they can.”
As the second week began, more and more volun-
teers arrived and worked long, hard days. These vol-
unteers are just too numerous to name, but they deserve
the community’s thanks and praise. You all know who
you are! Those volunteers gave extensively of their
time so that those affected by the flood could receive
needed help and answers to their questions, food, cloth-
ing, supplies, and just a little peace of mind in the midst
of terrible chaos. The Community of Vernonia can be
proud of the way neighbors came forward to help their
friends.
The influx of volunteers during the first few weeks
of flood recovery and clean up was nothing short of
amazing. Though way too numerous to list, the follow-
ing is just a small sampling of some of the people who
brought their skills, their hard work, and their generos-
ity to help the Vernonia community.
The Yamhill Carlton School district came to Ver-
nonia on a Friday, making a field trip for 140 students
and twenty faculty members. Taft High School from
Portland brought sixty students on a Monday. Many
other school districts sent students to help.
Village Baptist Church was just one of many
churches from throughout the area who came to help,
bringing contracting skills, strong backs and helping
hands. One volunteer leader joked on a Saturday that
they were afraid no one would show up to volunteer
on Sunday, because so many of Saturday’s volunteers
were from churches and they would all probably be at-
tending services the next day.
Another great story was Dan Peel, from Phoenix,
Arizona who was visiting friends in Portland when he
heard about the flood. “I had a friend who lost every-
thing twice, once in Katrina, and once before that,” Dan
told me. “That had a big impact on me. I just needed to
come help.”
Erin Enberg, aged 18 and a senior at Oregon Epis-
copal School in Portland helped organize a group of
twelve students from her school. “My Mom was out
the first weekend to help, and I wanted to do some-
thing, too. I brought up the idea to some friends, and
then sent out an email to everyone.” Erin’s group spent
Temporary Shelter
Sought
The Columbia County Flood Relief Cen-
ter is looking for anyone who may own RVs,
motorhomes, and trailers that they would be
willing to lease through a responsible non-
profit entity or directly to residents as tempo-
rary housing while flood affected homes are
being repaired.
If you are interested in this opportunity
please contact the Columbia County Flood
Relief Resource/Donation phone number at
(503) 791-9675. Thank you.
the day picking up garbage, first around the schools and
then along the Nehalem River.
I spent some time talking with Shane Kenney who
is a volunteer minister with the Churches of Scientol-
ogy Disaster Relief program. Shane is the Director for
the State of Oregon and a carpenter by trade. Shane
explained that The Church of Scientology first got in-
volved in disaster relief after the Oklahoma City bomb-
ing, and have given aid at the 911 sites, after hurricane
Katrina, and in other spots all over the world. “We
put out an international call to arms,” explained Shane.
“We helped with Katrina for three months. At 911 we
did things like support the firefighters and police who
were at the World Trade Center scene. We would cook
and do their laundry, give support so they could go out
and do their jobs.”
During Vernonia’s Flood of 2007, Shane showed
up with a crew and built much needed shelves for the
Vernonia Cares Food Bank. Shane brought his own
workers who he paid to be here, and found other crews
to come out and help. He also rounded up donations
of lumber and supplies to build the shelving that is al-
lowing the Food Bank to provide services for the com-
munity. “We are good at organizing help and getting
things done,” said Shane. “And this will be an ongoing
thing. We will continue to call and ask what we can do
to help.”
The Vernonia community is fortunate and grateful
for all the volunteers who have taken time away from
their lives to help us in our time of need.
Vernonia Cares- Up and Running Again in
Six Days
By Scott Laird
Just six days after their building took in over three feet of
water, the Vernonia Cares Food Bank reopened to aid the
community.
A group of dedicated volunteers rolled up their sleeves
on got to work immediately. Leading the effort was Bob
and Pat Stacklie. “My wife Patty was responsible for
organizing the clean up. I took charge of fund raising,”
explained Bob. “The real story was that Cares Director
Sandy Welch’s house had been flooded, and there was no
real leadership. Patty stepped up and said, “We need to
get things done.’”
A huge part of the clean up effort was the Mormon Helping
Hands Youth Group, who arrived with about fifteen mem-
bers and removed the mud, mopped the floors, washed the
walls and sterilized the building.
Bob, a retired Captain from Tualatin Valley Fire and Res-
cue, started into his long list of contacts to raise funding
support. “I am used to dealing in emergency situations,”
said Bob. “That was my profession. I know how to match resources with needs.” Bob, an avid fisherman, put
the word out on the web on some fishing boards, and got donations from all over the country. Intel donated new
computers to get things back up and running. Bob made a trip to Standard TV and Appliance to purchase five
freezers and three refrigerators that were needed to replace the storage space that was lost. Bill Gander, the owner
of Standard TV and Appliance, donated three of each. Furniture was donated and delivered. Parr Lumber donated
materials to build shelving. Safeway sent two trailers, one a freezer and one a refrigerator, to handle the overflow
of food donations pouring into the community. Resources came from everywhere.
“The cleaning began on Wednesday, and we began receiving food back into the building on Saturday,” said
Bob.
Bob and Pat first got involved in Vernonia Cares in a supportive role. Pat started the Turkey drive held every holi-
day season that gives a holiday food box to families at Christmas. Pat collects donations and purchases Turkeys
during Thanksgiving when the price is very low, then stores them until Christmas. “Pat is super shopper,” said
Bob. “She knows how to buy at discount and stretch the money.” Last year Vernonia Cares supplied almost 200
families with a Christmas meal. This year was expected to be more.
The reopening of the Food Bank made a huge impact on the recovery efforts in the community. Moving the food
supply back into the hands of the folks that know how to distribute it allowed other volunteers to concentrate on
cleaning and building supplies, and clothing and furniture needs. This was a heroic effort, and all involved are
to be commended.