Housewarming to replace damaged items

On Tuesday, July 16, a main water pipe burst in one of our cottages, flooding the place and displacing the 10 adolescent girls who call that cottage home. By the time we were able to stop the flow of water, significant damage had been done. At least a couple of inches of water was everywhere, requiring major repairs to flooring and walls. Although the majority of furnishings were salvaged, some of the girls’ personal items were ruined.

This kind of disaster is terrible, but it quickly became more of a nuisance than anything else. However, for these young girls, vulnerable and easily traumatized, this incident was very disruptive. The loss of their personal space and some belongings as well as the need to relocate to a makeshift dormitory was truly traumatizing for them.

Luckily, most of the residents affected and their staff made the best of the situation. We needed to act quickly to restore the cottage and get these girls back into their own space.

We are very fortunate our insurance broker and carrier were quick to assess the damage and facilitate the claims process so that we could begin repairs immediately. All the flooring had to be replaced. Four inches at the bottom of each wall had to be cut out to assess the water damage and begin the drying process. Once the cottage was dry and free from any mold, the walls were repaired and painted before the flooring could be installed. Less than a month later, the girls are at least back in their own bedrooms while we complete the rest of the cottage. We are indebted to everyone who came to our aid at this time. In a particular way, this incident tested our disaster readiness and, once again, demonstrated how extraordinary our residential and maintenance staff are.

Insurance coverage will address expenses related to restoring the cottage to good working order. But it will not provide for the loss of personal items that the girls experienced, like comforters, pillows, stuffed animals, electronics, clothing, and especially shoes. We want to replace these items to help the girls, once again, feel at home in this cottage.

We are hoping that via this blog we can solicit your support to replace these personal items. The list is available online with instructions on how to donate. As always, gift certificates are welcomed and serve as a great way to engage the girls in selecting the replacements items. There is no better remedy to recover from this traumatic event than to provide these girls with some shopping therapy!

As always, thanks for the support you offer and know that your assistance will go a long way in helping these young girls feel at home. We encourage you to please share this blog with your family and friends in hopes that they, too, can help spread the word on how we need support to help replace the personal belongings for these girls.