Rural Update – Report on Flooding in Eagle
As many of you know, Mudflatter yukonbushgrma has an unfortunate ringside seat to this year’s unprecedented flooding of the Yukon, which devastated the community of Eagle. Here is her report from the scene and some unbelievable photos of how everything looks today. Fortunately all the people managed to get out of their homes and there was no loss of life, but there is a huge cleanup and rebuilding effort that lies ahead. For those who have asked “What can I do to help?” there is information after the report.
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From yukonbushgrma
This week we will be moving for the third time in two weeks. We have had exceptionally lovely temporary accommodations, but we didn’t feel comfortable there with the dogs (the places were way too nice!). The dogs are our family — I’m sure all you critter lovers can appreciate that. So now we’ve found a small cabin – no amenities yet, but power and phone are coming this week. It’s a summer cabin, but sturdy and very livable — and with a million-dollar view of the Yukon! Oh, and the best part: it has a sauna! (outhouse too!) The plan is to purchase logs and build a cabin on our existing property (yes, right down there on the Yukon, also, too, again!), but up as high as possible. We will be working hard this summer to get it done by winter, but we’ll do it – hubby is pretty amazing. Our well is intact, and will just need cleansing and testing.
We don’t feel we can wait to see if there will be any assistance from state or federal governments. There isn’t enough time before winter. We have to start immediately. Not sure yet how it will be financed, but we’re gonna go for it. There’s got to be way.
It’s been two weeks since the devastation hit Eagle. The ice has started to melt somewhat, but the temps have been cool and it’s going down very slowly. Locals are joking that it will still be here in July, and that may very well be true. (If so, the tourists, if any, will certainly have something to write home about.)
This ice is not like normal breakup ice. (Well, duh, I guess you can probably see that!) Most years, by the time the river breaks it has rotted or candled, so it doesn’t take that long to melt. This stuff is like huge chunks of H2O steel, just as solid as the ice you get from your freezer trays. If one had an ice house, insulated with sawdust like they did in the old days, this is the ice you’d want, because it would last all summer. The reason it’s so solid is that we had a freaky week of 70-degree weather preceding breakup. Then the extremely high snow load started to melt, running down the feeder streams. It all went at once, massive ice chunks and all that water rushing with a vengeance.
This is our house tonight. Hubby (or at least half of him) is over at the left, to give you some perspective on the size of the ice – two weeks after the flood.
See that one lone spruce tree standing? I can’t for the life of me figure out how it survived – maybe it’s just propped up with ice. It was one of the smaller ones. We had probably 200-year-old spruces out there near the river, and they were landmark trees that surveyors had used. All gone.
Hubby realized tonight that after the ice took the house off the foundation, the house FLOATED UP at least two feet! He knew that, because our well (which had been under the house) remains intact and now it sits outside the house. If the house hadn’t floated at least two feet, the well would have been damaged.
Heavy equipment operators have been working to move ice and get roads open. If you look closely, up next to the river, slightly left of center, there’s a wee chunk of ‘road’ showing.
Hubby went out tonight to cut the downed power lines, in hopes equipment operators might be able to clear a rough trail to our house so we can haul out big things. We hope we can salvage some furniture from the second floor, and maybe the washing machine (well, maybe it will dry out OK).
That chunk of red metal rubble used to be my dear 6×12 covered trailer that hauled in all of our winter supplies from Fairbanks. We had even customized it with a fold-down bed and a screened window so we could camp in it.
The little ant-sized person under the yellow line is hubby. He’s 6 feet tall.
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For anyone wanting to help with needed items for residents who have lost so much in this flood, here are some items you can send, plus contact information. Thanks to the many people who have asked what they can do.
The following gently used and clean clothing items may be donated:
Bush appropriate clothing ~
jeans, work shirts, t- shirts, underwear, socks
hiking boots/work boots, rubber boots especially mens sizes 9-12
tennis shoes
work gloves
heavy duty rubber gloves (for clean – up) – those used during fishing season are great!
rain gear
We need tools!
Pry bars
hammers
axes
saws
chainsaws & accessories
tape measures
squares
levels
screw guns
hack saws
sawzalls
We also cannot keep enough of the following on hand:
Paper towels
bleach (not the scented kind – can’t cleanse a well with that)
hand sanitizer
toilet paper
In addition these items will be needed LATER in the season:
gift cards to Cabela’s & Big Rays (we are currently working on getting donations and discounts from these companies)
long johns
heavy winter socks
arctic gear
furniture & household goods
For those of you who would like to mail items…please send to:
Cindy Gowins c/o Eagle Distribution Center, Eagle Alaska, 99738
You can also call the Distribution Center (Eagle School, 907.547.2210) and ask for Cassy or Cindy if you have any questions.
UPDATE:
Here is a link to a thread on the Mudflats forum where you can discuss relief efforts, ask questions, and participate in further discussion. https://themudflats.net/forum/index.php/topic,7285.new.html#new
Regarding Cabela’s gift certificates —
Many supermarkets have the big green Coinstar coin counting machines near their checkouts. They normally charge a fee for counting your coins. But if you take an online gift certificate instead, they will count your coins for free. They offer Cabela’s gift certificates, among others. You need to check their online directory to find out which gift certificates your local Coinstar machine supports, as they all offer a different range.
As I recall, one of those plastic shoebox-sized 6 qt containers filled half full of coins brought me about $90. You pour the coins into their machine, it counts them, and prints a slip with a code you enter online to get your gift certificate set up. It’s a fairly painless way of raising money, as normally we don’t tend to factor in those jars of spare change scattered around the house or under the sofa cushions.
http://www.coinstar.com/us/html/a-home
@ #67 womanwithsardinecan:
Oh my, I can’t believe you even posted here, when you are going through such grief. I cannot tell you how sad I am that you have lost your dear son. I cried when I read all the endearing words written about him. By comparison, it makes our little troubles here look miniscule. Perspective is a good thing.
Biggest hugs to you, MarthaUYS and AlaskaPi …
ybg
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JUST A REMINDER –
We are continuing this discussion over at the Forum. We’re in the “Alaskan Lodge,” and the forum topic is “Flood Disaster Relief for Eagle.”
The link below should take you right there —
https://themudflats.net/forum/index.php/topic,7285.0.html
It’s easy to comment there – you just click on the pink “reply” button.
Hope is trying to round up those of you who might have things to be picked up on her way up from Kenai Peninsula. She has only a few days to get it together, though, so if you’re interested, please reply at the forum link above. MANY THANKS!
ybg
68 sauerkraut Says:
May 18th, 2009 at 5:58 AM
Did you know that Lowe’s and Home Depot allow items to be purchased at any of their stores in the country (ie, your local store) and picked up from any of their other stores in the country. The same is true if you go to their online sites.
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Great idea !! That way YBG and hubby can get exactly what they need and want. If at all possible , Lowes. Home Depot supports Rush. just sayin’……..Headed to Lowes to do recon.
yukonbushgrnma – Sympathies to you and your family. I have experienced a flood, but at least the house stayed in the same place and it wasn’t filled with room-sized chunks of ice!!!!!!!!!!!!!! at the end of it. How incredibly terrifying it must have been for you and all of the people in your region.
The photographs were absolutely extraordinary – like everyone else, they took my breath away.
You and your husband must be very strong both physically and mentally. I think if I were you, I would be in a heap right now. I admire your spirit and determination.
Did you know that Lowe’s and Home Depot allow items to be purchased at any of their stores in the country (ie, your local store) and picked up from any of their other stores in the country. The same is true if you go to their online sites.
Are there any Lowe’s or Home Depots near the flood area where someone from the relief effort could pickup the items marked for delivery in Alaska?
I’m so sorry for what you are going through. I’ve only been “in” one flood and all I lost was my garden. I can’t imagine how you feel. I’m sorry I can’t help with anything right now except sympathy.
yukonbushgrnma – I’m gonna research the power sprayer today. Lowes is walking distance from me. The amount of work that can be done is amazing. And as I said before , the ones with the little tank where you can add bleach { or pine-o-pine } are the ticket.
58 Kath the Scrappy from Seattle Says:
May 17th, 2009 at 11:54 PM
Hehe! Even found my ex-husband’s jig saw with several blades, so long dude!
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Now that’s funny !!
MUDPUPS ON THE HIGHWAY:
Please see Hope’s post at #45. She is being such a sweetheart to offer to drive donations to Fairbanks or Eagle.
I’m re-posting this on AKM’s new Forum thread, and any of you who have items Hope can pick up on her way up from the Kenai Peninsula should chime in on the Forum. The best items for pickup would be those that are large or heavy and expensive to mail.
So please join us over at the Forum topic –
https://themudflats.net/forum/index.php/topic,7285.new.html#new
ybg
Thanks AKM, but I’m not seeing any “Just type in the box below and click POST when you’re done. ” or spot to click post.
Tired tonight, that was one whapper of a scavenger hunt (not exagerating, almost missed my Survivor finale even). Maybe I can figure out that forum better tomorrow.
@ yukonbushgrma, yep it felt GOOD to ship off my ex’s tools to a better place where they are much needed. My mold abatement mess is done, took almost 2 yrs, but I now have my kitchen back and downstairs bedrm (spent 10 mos washing dishes in the bathtub, so you can appreciate how paranoid I am about mold issues. Now I’m starting to tackle & disassemble the mountain.
@ #61 AKM:
THANKS THANKS THANKS !!!
I will make a special note to keep an eye on it, and will post all new info as soon as I get it.
Was promised that tomorrow someone will give me some definitive info on the donation funds available, and how someone can donate. If there isn’t a way to donate through paypal for someone outside the US, I think I will try to set something up.
bless you again –
ybg
https://themudflats.net/forum/index.php/topic,7285.new.html#new
Here is a link to a thread I just started in the Mudflats forum. You can use this to ask and answer questions, and discuss the relief efforts and what you can do to help. If you have not used the forums before, it’s quite easy to leave a comment. Just type in the box and click “Post” just like you do on the blog. You’ll see how to navigate through the thread, which breaks up comments into pages, also like the blog. I hope you find it helpful.
@ Kath the Scrappy:
heh heh, when I first read your post, I thought, “she’s sending her husband’s tools without asking him?” — and then went back and noticed it said EX-husband’s! Hahahahaha! Bet it felt great. I can really relate.
Bless you, Kath. I will just tell Cindy to be careful when she opens any flat rate boxes. But the note on them was a very good idea.
I hope your mold fiasco comes to an end soon – I know that can be a total nightmare, and you really have to make sure you’ve killed it. Fortunately here the climate is quite dry, at least normally. So things will dry out, especially if we do something to help that along. The wood we’re thinking about using is the stuff from the top story, so it wasn’t under water all that long.
big thanks,
ybg
BTW, the work boots were only worn once when I fell tripping on the shoe strings and never wore again. Keeping stuff clean and gentle, even tho a little rust on the tools.
So sorry for all you are going through yukonbushgrma! I’ve been going thru nightmare of mold abatement, contractors just finished repairs last Dec. Yep, insurance doesn’t pay a cent for any fine print they can find. If you can imagine, I have a mountain of stuff in my basement garage, EVERYTHING from the downstairs. Was hoping this week to get carpets shampooed downstairs and start dismantling the mountain. Given YOUR short drying period, you want to be VERY cautious about mold potential regarding the wood reuse!
After reading your post, I went on one CRAZY scavenger hunt, trying to reach what I could find (the size of the flat rate boxes is also constraining!). Surprised that I was able to find many items on your ‘Tools’ list. Hehe! Even found my ex-husband’s jig saw with several blades, so long dude! Also tucked nails/screws my contractors didn’t use up in the work boots I found.
Will have 2 maybe 3 large flat rate boxes mailed tomorrow. Will you pls ask Cindy to be careful opening boxes? I will post a note on them. Packed with socks, gloves, etc for packing, there’s a little rust on tools, but they’re plenty functional.
@ Hope:
Check your email – I think I got a message through!
ybg
@ #49 Say NO to Palin in Politics Says:
“yukonbushgrma, we feel pain for all of you and will do what we can to help.
“We’ve seen the press releases from the Gov saying help is in place and pledged.
“Please share what is being said to you about specifics of help coming via the Gov.
“Surely questions have been asked. What is being told to you?”
=======
Gov. Palin was here on the ground, and she did go out to see some of the devastation. I commend her for that.
So far, the state has been working primarily on infrastructure – which truly is needed. The road to Eagle Native Village has been cut off since May 3. In the next few days they hope to open a trail (not really a road per se), a way to get from Eagle City to Eagle Village so that essential supplies can get through.
They’ve also been working on our water supply, and just today there is a source of clean water. So hopefully it will no longer have to be trucked in.
The environmental and hazmat folks are here, and they’ve taken care of dumped-out fuel tanks and propane tanks.
Ice is getting moved, and they’re slowly finding the roads again.
It is my sense that the state will not have much money left to address the question of people without homes. They’ve already spent so much money, probably needed, on getting the relief center up and running and doing everything mentioned above.
The governor said when she was here that she would do everything she could to promote the “Rebuild Eagle” fund. I have not read anything that tells me she has done that. Perhaps I haven’t been reading the right sources.
We also wonder why no one, other than Sen. Begich, has been asking for a national declaration of disaster.
Many of us feel that we have moved beyond the “relief” phase of the emergency, and now in a few short months we must move through recovery and restoration. People need warm homes before winter.
Hope this answers your questions. They were good ones.
!!!!!
HOPE! — There’s any easier way, if you don’t want to go to the Forum.
Just phone the Distribution Center here in Eagle and talk with Cindy – phone 907.547.2210 (or if no answer, try 547.2310). Give her your phone number and ask her to get it to me. I’ll call you back! (Tell her it’s super-important.)
Sometimes it’s better to go low-tech!
ybg
OK, I think this might work if Hope can reply to the forum post.
BUT NOW — all of you, please address her question … is there enough call for her to drive all the way to Fairbanks to bring big things to Eagle? If you do have something she can pick up, we’ll have to figure it out pretty soon!
ybg
Hope – I just started a new thread on the Forum and asked you to reply to it. This was the only way I could figure out to do this. Go here, log in, and then reply to the post — after that, we should be able to connect:
https://themudflats.net/forum/index.php/topic,7284.0.html
ybg
@ Hope & yukonbushgrma
I emailed AKM and Jane at anonymousbloggers.wordpress.com/ with your questions so maybe they can help set something up so that you can coordinate. Hope – I sure wish I were up there and I’d go with you! What an amazing offer!
Hope, I’ll try to send you a PM – then, if you have it set up to do it, you should receive a regular email telling you you’ve received a message. After that, we can talk via email. And I can also give you my phone number.
Be patient – I don’t do it much myself!
ybg
YKB – I’m registered over there, just don’t know my way around. I can go to Fairbanks. I should be able to get over that road, and I did know it was rough. Didn’t know times. We figure between 10 and 12 hours to Fairbanks from here, and by miles it looked a little farther to Eagle, but those roads between here and Tok are not as straight and easy as between here and Fairbanks. If I go over to the forum, how can we chat? Or I was figuring I could call Eagle tomorrow and make sure I’m not bringing stuff that’s not needed.
AKM, or somebody, is there a good way to get the word out to people who might want me to pick up things on the way up?
If we don’t have enough to make it helpful, I don’t need to do it, but I figured we could save a whole lot in mailing, and get stuff up there sooner and easier in a way.
HOPE!
yukonbushgrma, we feel pain for all of you and will do what we can to help.
We’ve seen the press releases from the Gov saying help is in place and pledged.
Please share what is being said to you about specifics of help coming via the Gov.
Surely questions have been asked. What is being told to you?
@ Hope:
What a sweet thing to offer. Have you driven to Eagle before? It’s about a 13-hour drive from Anchorage. The Taylor Highway is gravel, steep & winding. It takes about 4.5 hours to drive from Tok to Eagle.
Just wanted to make sure you knew what you might be getting yourself into! I’m not sure how that would be done. Would you be interested in driving stuff to Fairbanks instead? I know a fellow who is hauling things back and forth to Eagle, and he has a huge truck. He might be willing to include anything you had.
Or you could contact the Red Cross in Fairbanks to see if they have any suggestions.
But if you’re not registered at the Forum, we won’t be able to send personal messages. Give it a try … Or maybe someone else has a suggestion.
Some things to remember about home insurance… first, not everything is covered… second, on big disasters, they fight just about every claim or lowball in hopes of settling scores of claims… third, there’s the deductible. Some folks have higher deductibles in hopes of reducing the cost of yearly premium costs. That means they’ve got to shell out the first $500 – 2500 when disaster strikes.
Those ice blocks are not only huge but also very dirty. Hope there’s not a wastewater treatment facility upstream.
YBG and Mudpups along the highway:
I have a covered pickup. I live on the Kenai Peninsula. If you have big items you can’t mail, I can drive up to Eagle on this Thursday (May 21). If you are on the Peninsula and have large unmailable items you’d like me to take up, let’s see if we can set up pickup points between here and there on Thursday, and I’ll just meet you, pick up your stuff, and go on up. I’d leave from the central Kenai Peninsula early Thursday, so if you’re from here or Homer you can get them to me before that, or we can set up times. Then anywhere else on the way up through Anchorage, Palmer, Tok, and on up.
I don’t know how to do this, though, without giving out too much information. I’ve never cracked the forum code or anything. Help, anyone?
I have a group of folks down here I’m in contact with, so I’ll get the word out here, then can someone help me figure out how to organize the rest of the stops if there are pups along the way who want to get larger items up there? without letting everyone reading this blog know?
THANKS!
HOPE!
@ honesty:
Library Mail is like slow boat to China – weeks, maybe months. I think it’s what used to be called Media Mail.
I have no idea what Zone 1 is, but the USPS website must explain that somewhere.
On their home page, there’s a tab for “Calculate Shipping.” I always just go there, plug in the info, and it gives me my choices/prices. Try that. You’ll need to know the weight, though.
About my post 42..
Any info you can give would be helpful but nevermind about library mail. I got info from another page and the requirements don’t apply. Anything else is helpful.
Can someone give me some opinion on the info listed here for Parcel Post.
http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm300/ratesandfees.htm#wp1152660
It does list the larger box sizes… AND… does anyone know what “Library Mail” is?
I have never heard of that… and does it apply as far as shipping to Alaska.
(and how fast is library mail.. a couple more days…. or weeks..? Don’t know )
Parcel post rates say Zone 1 also in the Header (Is Alaska considered Zone 1?)
Could use some insight from anyone with more experience shipping. T Y
@ #31 KJ in NC:
Just to clarify, I’m not Cindy — she’s one of the folks in charge of the distribution center, where everyone in need can pick up things. They’re doing a bang-up job there.
ybg
Thanks for the update, ybg.
The Home Depot or Lowe’s idea sounds good to me, too.
Take care.
@ #38 austintx:
Sounds like a good idea. We probably wouldn’t want a lot of them, but yeah, that would definitely help in making things habitable again.
Thanx for thinking of it!
(Oh yeah, those can also be used for showering – just put a longer hose on it with a shutoff and spray nozzle! I’ve done that before … works great.)
yukonbushgrnma – Would a power sprayer be helpful ?? Some of ’em have a tank that you can put a cup of bleach in to mix with the water. I helped clean a couple of houses at the coast after a hurricane using one. Cleans AND disinfects at the same time. Just a suggestion……..you know what works best for you.
@ ENOUGHwiththetrainwreck,
@ austintx:
The Home Depot “bridal registry” is a good idea. Will see what we can do. There’s one in Fairbanks, also a Lowe’s.
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@ tigerwine:
I guess the ‘house afloat’ was a mixed blessing. It saved the well. But the house was then free to go wherever the ice boulders pushed it. It turned around about 90 degrees, and then the ice slammed the corners back into the bank. The photos don’t show the damage much. It’s really cockeyed, tilting, structurally compromised. We do hope to salvage a lot of materials – roofing for sure, maybe some of the wood.
We were down there today, and actually got in through a real door this time. Found a few more little things we’d been worrying about. But there’s very little that doesn’t need to be washed, decontaminated and dried.
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@ Marnie:
I can tell. You’ve been there, haven’t you?
None of the insurance companies are paying a dime.
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AND TO ALL who contemplate sending something:
Watch out for shipping rates! Shipping to Alaska can be a costly thing indeed, and also frustrating at times. Even eBay — the item might be a good deal, but in the fine print they’ll say something like “ship to continental US only” or make you pay for UPS 2nd Day Air.
I wouldn’t recommend UPS or FedEx. Costs way too much (you can’t use Ground service), and really, the post office gets things here quickly. If you have something large, maybe using parcel post would work.
thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou
@ #23 austintx:
That crud in/on the ice is a combo of all kinds of stuff – silt (which is normal at breakup), diesel, probably sewage. Just about every fuel tank tipped over and emptied. The environmental cleanup guys came and took care of those a few days ago. But we’re still being cautioned about getting sick from working in the stuff – wash hands, wear gloves, masks, etc. Nasty.
It’s like that in our houses too.
@ #22 Mark Richards:
Wow, imagine meeting a neighbor here! Do we need to be concerned about you, way out there in the bush? How bad was it there? Oh-oh, what are your “pending issues?”
I’ll email you – think I have your addy. Don’t know why the msgs didn’t go through ….
Am concerned about you guys now.
best,
ybg
ANSWER ON ANIMAL NEEDS:
The Eagle distribution center tells me that they appear to have enough dog & cat food at this time. I saw it, and there’s quite a bit.
However, they have no cat litter and could use some. They don’t want to be inundated, though – so if you send some, perhaps a smaller bag would be fine.
Also, they have no dog/cat treats or toys. They suggested things like pigs’ ears or rawhide treats. Most of the animals in need are indoor pets, not working dogs, so think of what you’d want for your own family pets.
ygb
Some of the people online here were not actively involved with the last drive to Nunam Iqua or were regulars then and so we do not know all of the ‘details’ as to how to get boxes shipped if we have things we could share.
Lori in Los Angeles (post #10) listed the USPS link for the flat rate boxes. I went to the website to get more info and see what kind of boxes these were. The two largest one they had listed was …
1.Regular Flat-Rate Box (similar to clothing box) 13-5/8 x 11-7/8 x 3-3/8
2. Large Flat-Rate Box: Domestic Addresses 12-1/4 x 12-1/4 x 6
APO/FPO Addresses
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I have some additional Winter weather coats but In looking at the size of the largest box there (#2) I don’t think I could even stuff even 1 coat into a 12 x 12 box.
Were some people using one of the other shipping companies like
(UPS or Fed X ) as well which might handle a larger box. And it looked like the USPS rate was based on ‘ First Class shipping’ or they are calling it ‘ Priority Shipping’.
Is there a bulk rate out there associated with big boxes..?
And is there additional info in one of the forums..?
I keep saying I am going to register… and never got around to it.
I just sent 25 rolls of paper towels, 25 rolls of 1000 sheet TP and 25 boxes of tissues from http://www.vitacost.com for only $9.99. It was all Seventh Generation products on sale.
This is a great source and I use it all the time. They have just about everything. In the lower 48 any size order for s/h is $4.99. I was thinking it would be a fortune to send that much to AK but I was surprised. 25 of each item was the most you could order at one time.
Cindy, I sent it in care of you to the address you gave. Hang in there.
I wish for your whole restoration.
24 ENOUGHwiththetrainwreck Says:
May 17th, 2009 at 3:19 PM
wow times twenty. i hate to be ignorant of geography in alaska — but can you guys get “registered” at a home depot near your area (or other supply house) with items picked out that you need and we could purchase them over them phone or ?? (kinda like a bridal registry but for disaster relief?).
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Brilliant idea !! Hope fully it’s doable. Home Depot is a sponsor of Rush though………But hey – Yukonbushgrnma comes first , politics be damned.
Thanks so much for the update.
My heart aches for the people of the Yukon.
I can believe that ice will be there in July.
Wishing the best to those who are rebuilding–and raiding my closet.
For those who have not had the displeasure of having virtually everything they own destroyed, please don’t assume that even really good insurance covers all the costs.
Stop and consider what it might cost to just replace all your clothing, all at once (don’t even consider auto, furniture, rent or home purchase or any of the biggies.).
Every pair of socks, underwear,
at least one of each type of clothing -, work. dress, around the house, and in places like Alaska various boots for snow and mush ,and shoveling out from the flood clothes
Coats in several weights for Alaska, sweaters, jackets, vests, shirts of various weights
Long johns
hats summer winter,
gloves for shoveling, for dress for running errands, lined work gloves for the clean up.
We’re talking thousands of dollars just for enough clothing to make it through a normal week, for about a year, if you do work, church, home and the fun of shoveling a couple of hundred pounds of stinking muck out of the inside of your home. and hauling a like amount of trash that has landed on your property.
And the same applies to the bathroom medicine cabinet, linen closet, kitchen cabinets, cooking utensils
and on and on.
We pray for you. I know you will shed many tears,your hearts will break and your backs will ache, but you will come back.
YBG – Awesome picture of the house after seeing the first one. I thought the waters had receded that much until I read your post and found out that the house was actually afloat, and had come off its foundation! Maybe is that good? That if you can anchor it and re-situate it on the foundation that the water damage won’t be so bad? Am sending the picture to Andy. XXOO
wow times twenty. i hate to be ignorant of geography in alaska — but can you guys get “registered” at a home depot near your area (or other supply house) with items picked out that you need and we could purchase them over them phone or ?? (kinda like a bridal registry but for disaster relief?).
yukonbushgrnma – Dang , what a mess. Wish I was close enough to drag the front end loader over there and scoop and shove some of that crud. BTW – is that discoloration on/in the ice chunks silt , or the diesel fuel ??
yukonbushgrma, only way I found to contact you, email not going thru to you and hubby, is getting returned. Not sure if this post will actually get past moderation and show up…hope it does. If so please drop us a line so we can email you. All is okay here farther north inre breakup, but other issues pending. Wish we could be there and could help out. Encourage everyone to donate needed supplies and do what they can.
Best,
Mark
Wow! I know how devastating flooding is, but that’s kind of extra bad with that huge ice! Help will be coming, Hang in there.
Flabbergasted, that’s the word I’m looking for. That’s me – flabbergasted. What sweet news to have clean water and a laundromat – heaven for sure! Hang in there, we’ll get you stuff. I bet those equip operators are cussing (or worse) those ice boulders.
You have a wonderful spirit yukonbushgrma! I’m so glad you are safe!
I’m in the process of “downsizing” my possessions to move to a smaller house and I started an “Eagle pile” today. I’ll cram items from your list into some flat rate boxes and send them as soon as I can.
Thanks for the report, I am glad everyone is safe, critters included 🙂 .You guys are so brave up there!
great suggestion Lori! I’ve been window shopping at ebay as well.
Just realized something else. I went to ebay to find items on the list. One seller, for instance, will send 10 pairs of heavy duty gloves for $10 total postage – so we can, if so inclined, find items on ebay and have them shipped directly to AK.
Just heard some good news. The local wellhouse has clean water available again! They brought in some kind of high-tech filtration system, and it worked to eliminate the e. coli contamination. (We have no city water system here, and most folks don’t have a well, so lots of people come to get water at the wellhouse.)
And good news #2: the laundromat is open again! (was getting down to the last pair of undies … )
Wahoo!
Yukonbushgrma
You are one awesome lady!, if that was me and my house I would be curled up in a heap bawling. I am glad you have a wonderful husband who can do major heavy duty building work. I know you love your dogs too, just like me.
I second Irishgirl in hoping you set up a donation link, haven’t got a lot but would like to do even a little to help and posting boxes from the UK isn’t very practical.
@ #6 UgaVic:
Victoria, after all you’ve been through, you certainly shouldn’t be concerning yourselves with this! Let others bear the burden — you need to continue taking care of yourselves.
You are absolutely right – that D-Cat and loader would come in pretty handy right now. Send it on over via cyberspace!
ybg
awww, you mudflatters are just the best!
For those who have asked, I’m trying to pull together information on how folks can get cash donations to us. There are funds set up, but so far it’s been difficult to find out just how to donate to them. I’m going to get that nailed down, once and for all! As soon as I do, you’ll be the first to know. And I’ll specifically ask how someone outside the US can donate, too.
The “Rebuild Eagle” fund through Wells Fargo Bank might be the best if you wish to earmark donations toward home-building. There are other funds set up at Denali State Bank, but I don’t know the specifics on those.
Also, I’ll check on the status of animal needs.
stay tuned — and bless you all!
ybg
The largest flat rate boxes are $13.95.
Thanks for the link -saves one trip to the PO!
I just ordered ten large flat rate boxes from post office. This can be done online at http://www.usps.com. Does anyone remember what the flat rate IS to send large boxes to AK? I have more items and clothes than I will ever need, and hubby has extra tools to donate. I am gearing up for the packing! Also, the post office will pick up the boxes at your door (same website as above) – GO MUDPUPPIES, yes we can!
wow. thats hard to imagine, but your photo’s help. i’ll be sending a box next month (after the first) can you set up a paypal thingy yukonbushgrma? i’d like to contribute to help with the log costs.
Speechless !
WOW!
My hubby and I read this wishing we could hop on the D Cat and large loader and just hit the road to come help. Of course gathering supplies along the way!
Given we can’t we are going to see what we can do from our villages to help.
Please set up a cash donation place or tool place-maybe a Lowes or Home Depot in ANC will do an ‘account’ for you- where we can get things ordered and sent direct.
Keep the spirit up, there are lots of us here in AK pulling for you and knowing that with that great spirit it will be OK in the end.
Oh YES – how are the animals fairing? Do we need to have pet food shipped in for them?
Give the critters a hug from the critters and people here who understand!
Many hugs and thoughts,
Victoria B
Ugashik/Pilot Point
Victoria@anonymousbloggers.com
A picture is worth…wow to those chunks of perma-ice! Your house is so pretty I wish you could just push it back but I expect that the new cabin will include some new ideas about how to go about living.Thanks for the post.
Yikers! I think I held my breath while reading the whole update…with eyes bugging out and mouth open. The pictures really communicate the, otherwise unimaginable, devastation. I love that, with so much loss and so much work ahead, you’re able to laugh about tourists and the ice. Thank you for letting us be part of the rebuilding and healing effort.
So here we go……another worthy PJ-BOP ! Pajama Blogger Outreach Project! So, PostOffice and Cabela’s/Big Ray’s get ready! Living in Alaska is like a box of chocolate’s…..never know what’cher gonna get!
YukonBushGrandma: you and your spouse will make it through this just fine with your can-do attitude and competencies. May many blessings be heaped upon you and your community.
OMG, I read that with my hand over my mouth…what devastation. So sorry yukonbushgrma. You should if you can, set up some sort of money donation so that those of us living abroad can contribute.
I know how you feel about your accomodation and dogs!!
Wow, those pictures are amazing, they really put the size of that ice in perspective. The last pic we couldn’t figure out what part of the house the red was- now I see, actually IS the roof. I’ll get a box together this week. Great to hear you’ve had time to exhale and are ready to get moving forward. Many happy -and warm, days to you!