A Day of Ups and Downs

Tuesday, September 11 -- Bill White, Ray Roemmich, Neal Nelson, Tim Ericson from First Presbyterian, Stillwater


Pastor Krusmark took us over to his house to survey work still needing to be done. We power washed his utility room, removed two door frames that were delaminating and replaced the ceiling in his bathroom.

We stopped at Steve's house to retrieve items left by Saturday's group. Steve is awaiting an evaluation to determine if his house needs a higher foundation so nothing could be done to his house until this was decided.

Vi of Vi’s Shop was there and we surveyed her place – the southern Baptists had done a lot, but after inspecting the place and noting the “uninhabitable enter at your own risk” sign I had to question the value of putting more labor into the place. I spent some time with Vi and suggested she really needed to find out from the inspector what possibilities were open to her – what could be done that would allow her to stay in the structure or was it beyond recovery. She was clinging to the idea that staying in her building was what she had to do. She has children in the area so there might be other ways to go.

[We went] over to Rich's place as he needed some appliances removed. We found Rich and his wife Lizzie literally throwing things out of the windows of a house trailer. They had both a home and the house trailer on the property. The house has already been gutted. We helped them get rid of a freezer, refrig, stove (which somehow still held quite a bit of water) plus other furniture and household goods. Richard stopped me at one point to tell me he had no idea what he was going to do. I think he said he had lived in Stockton for 24 years and had been through the ‘91 flood. He and Lizzie were living in the trailer and his son and family in the house. After hearing what a contractor said it would cost to rehab the house, he was wondering if he shouldn’t just walk away and start over.

He was very appreciative of our help and said if we were ever back down this way he would by us a beer. I said I should be buying him a beer. We both laughed and agree this probably wouldn’t be a good time to start drinking.

We left Stockton at about 2:00 agreeing that while we had been stymied in doing all that we might, we had done some good work, had had some good opportunities to connect and that the day had been very worthwhile. I think we all would like to do it again soon.

Bill White


Vicki's note: There was a bit more to Bill's Email to me that I edited. Bill and his crew went to many homes and found no one home. They discovered what we who work weekdays in Stockton are learning. In spite of homeowners' need and desire to get work done on their homes, as commuters to Winona and Rochester, the rest of life goes on. They have jobs, school and other commitments that get in the way of sitting around and waiting for volunteers. So, on our part, it takes a longer list and more perseverance to accomplish what we feel called to do. At the end of the day, Bill and company got Pastor Krusemark and his new bride closer to "normal" in their own home, offered Vi some yearned-for company even if they couldn't give her more hope that her building would be rebuilt, and gave Richard and Lizzie a hand with tasks they couldn't do alone and a listening heart to share Richard's burden. I'd say they accomplished much! Well done, good and faithful servants!