October Waves of Relief #2
Three House Projects Completed
Almost As Planned! Crew coming Home
October 23 – An entire house has risen from its pilings foundation in Waveland, MS for Miss Melanie Keratas. And work to restore two other homes made major progress in just 10 days as a crew of nearly 30 adults swept thru town in the second of two waves of relief organized by the Wayland to Waveland hurricane relief committee.
Roof rafters going up on Miss Melanie Keratas (Peter Bachman at top...)
See Photos from 2-week project
The nearly two-week effort being led by Wayland builder Peter Bachman of Custom Designs wrapped up today (Monday) after more than 10 days of construction at three locations in Waveland, Wayland’s sister city that was ‘ground zero’ for Hurricane Katrina.
The effort was organized by the Wayland to Waveland Hurricane Relief Steering Committee which was formed in the fall of 2005 to assist those affected by Katrina. The committee has dedicated itself to a long-term effort to assist Waveland, Mississippi. This “second wave” of relief followed a wave of high school students who visited Waveland over the Columbus Day weekend.
According to Bachman on Sunday, the work on the three houses went almost according to plan. The weather, he said, was awful – rain every day – and held the team back just a bit. But all the major elements were completed on the three projects and plans are in place to finish roofing two of the homes.
The home for Miss Melanie clearly was the largest of the projects. She had an insurance settlement and other monies that allowed her to pay for most of the materials for her new home. Bachman arranged for the design and specified all the materials. This was an unusual challenge as all new home construction must meet new hurricane-resistant building codes. (For example, reports Pam Lesser, a committee co-chair, “several of us spent several solid days hammering in metal hurricane brackets into every single beam from the ground up)."
Melanie’s lot was cleared and foundation piers were installed prior to Bachman’s arrival. The Wayland team got right to work building a house from these piers right on up to the roof. On Sunday, Bachman reported that all was done except for the roofing shingles. A group of volunteers from the Amish community will be installing the shingles that are on site on both Melanie’s house and the one next door for Miss Hazel Tracey.
Miss Hazel’s house wasn’t washed away as Miss Melanie’s was. Some was left usable on its slab foundation. Miss Hazel didn’t have insurance and would not be able to rebuild without the support of the Wayland to Waveland committee. Bachman’s team removed the old roof and installed a new one, repaired rotted framing, installed new windows and doors they brought with them down from Massachusetts and completely plumbed the house for water and sewer. In addition, the team began installing new electrical wiring.
Similarly, the team was able to install new windows, doors, plumbing and electrical at Scott Blackwell’s house. This was a neighbor’s home which washed off its pilings, but was salvaged and purchased for $1 by Blackwell.
All three houses are now at a stage waiting for appropriate building inspections. And plans are in place to help get these finished and livable. Miss Melanie has been looking after and helping her neighbor Miss Hazel right along. She helped previous teams from Wayland work on Miss Hazel’s property and build her a small deck on which she could sit with lawn furniture acquired for her by the Wayland to Waveland group.
In addition to the three building projects, Wayland residents Anne Haney and Sally Zetter worked with a high school art teacher to do an art project with the students. Students in several art classes started with a square of art paper, and using various media (paint, marker, pencil, etc.) they were directed to draw a single image “snapshot” from their memory of their Katrina experience. “The kids were incredible and quite insightful of the intense emotions they still need to express,” Lesser said. These will be displayed in Wayland in the near future (perhaps at the library, or at Anne's studio, or the Town Building).
The Wayland to Waveland committee also brought a load of relief for the Shutz family of Waveland. This is the young couple to which Lesser referred in her Town Meeting speech last fall. The husband was preparing to go to Iraq and the couple was expecting a Down Syndrome baby. The family’s house had been damaged by the flood and the husband was having to do the repairs himself in free time. A recent letter (September) reported a lot of progress, enough where they just might be able to move back into the house. However, they reported needing a toilet fixture, a sink and flooring material. In the huge load of material Bachman drove from Wayland, he brought the family a crib and enough flooring material to do their house.
Wayland volunteers John Landry and Bob Swarz also spend countless hours in the Waveland City Hall (a collection of trailers) reconditioning and upgrading computer system software. The computers were routinely problematic and disruptive. The two Wayland men installed new operating systems and other software to help with reliability and get the town running.
The group also met with Mayor Tommy Longo about overall progress. It is still a dismal picture. Money is slow to come for repairing private homes. Insurance reimbursement has been inadequate, so they have had difficulty in their individual rebuilding efforts.
Wayland to Waveland Co-chair Cindy Lombardo and her husband also attended a weekly "Tell Your Story" dinner hosted by the Amish group called C.A.R.E. Two large Amish families as well as other Waveland townspeople attended this forum to report on the ongoing progress and conditions of Waveland residents. The group also re-connected with several people whom they’ve come to know well, including people in the mayor's office, the principal of Waveland Elementary, the family for whom Wayland to Waveland planted a memory garden last fall, and other Dear Santa contacts.
Fundraising
The Wayland to Waveland committee’s fundraising letter to Wayland residents has brought in more than $20,000 increasing the total to about $50,000 toward the initial goal of $120,000. Our town’s support is still very much needed, and contributions to this effort are greatly appreciated.
Monies raised will be used to buy materials for those most in need in Waveland. Since so many in Waveland did not have flood insurance at the time of the storm, they do not have the means to complete repairs. All contributions are completely tax deductible and can be mailed to the Wayland to Waveland Hurricane Relief Fund, c/o Town of Wayland, Town Building, 41 Cochituate Road.
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