Volunteers in Schoharie come together to rebuild, after the devastating floods almost one year ago

Posted at: 08/18/2012 10:43 PM
By: by Dan Bazile

Tweet

SCHOHARIE - For many residents in the village of Schoharie, their weekends are still usually packed with projects, as they continue to recover from the flooding caused by tropical storms Irene and Lee one year ago.

This weekend, some took time out from fixing up homes to help a church with a new pavilion.

Trusses were going, as volunteers swing hammers and cut wood for what will become a new pavilion at Schoharie united Presbyterian Church.

As one volunteer put it, “This is what we do around here on weekends, build things, and repair things.”

It’s what residents in Schoharie have been doing since tropical storm Irene and Lee hit last August. The Schoharie creek rose and flooded the village -- leaving behind destruction and despair. Residents and volunteers from far away places got their hands dirty to rebuild damaged homes and businesses.

While there are many houses that have been restored, there are also some where nothing's been done and others that are half way in the process. Everyone is thankful for the generosity that is helping bring Schoharie back.

Bob Price, of the Schoharie United Presbyterian Church, says “I know it made my family and many of the people in this church feel as though we have a huge debt to repay and we hope to be able to pay it forward at some point.”

Saturday was like any other weekend day for these volunteers who came to the church to help out with the pavilion. They’re replacing an old seasonal one that was destroyed by the winds of tropical storm Irene.

The wind from the tropical storms was strong enough to break several poles, and destroy the canvas top.

It was a place where the church sometimes held services, day camps and other community events like wedding receptions.

The new pavilion will be bigger, better and stronger -- and available for all residents, not just church members.