$45,000 flood assistance disbursed

Nearly $65,000 in Aug. 2 flood damage assistance has been raised so far by the Custer County Long Term Recovery Group (CCLTRG) and $45,000 has been distributed to a  number of parties, according to Jill Kettle, committee head.
An additional $10,000 has been promised from Lutheran Social Services to assist in disaster recovery, according to Laurie Arthur, Resource Development chair.
Donor letters sent out at the end of last year to individuals, businesses and corporations brought in $5,000, Arthur said.
There are at least 15 cases still open out of the 24 original applicants for assistance, CCLTRG members learned at a meeting held last Thursday afternoon.
Disaster Case Management Committee head Pam Power said it was agreed that up to $250 would be paid toward a property that needs to be tested for mold. An air purifier machine had abeen purchased for $1,000 for use now and in the future.
In the meantime, homes like Marcia Eisenbraun’s at 1047 Gordon Street are having downstairs water-damaged sheetrock removed and replaced, according to Leon Lunders, Volunteer/Construction Management Committee member.
Lunders, director of Disaster Relief Services for Catholic Social Services in Rapid City, and two volunteers, Don Borowski and Lonny Hofer, were working  on sheetrocking           Eisenraun’s sewage damaged basement this past Monday, Feb. 17.
“The city sewer backed up and it came through the floor drain, toilet and shower in my downstairs,” Eisenbraun said.
She immediately called Stanley Steamer to mitigate the six inches of water and sewer damage to her finished basement.
“I am very grateful for all of the efforts by volunteers to repair our community immediately following the flood,” Eisenbraun said. “Starting up the CCLTRG was no small matter and, in my opinion, this group of individuals should be recognized for the time, expense, knowledge and effort they have provided to get this group operational.” 
Volunteers like Lunders were working at her home last week and continued to finish taping and texturing this week. He said volunteers were mainly from the Knights of Columbus Rapid City Council 1489 and Piedmont. Jack Sayles from Custer was also involved.
Sheetrock was removed and replaced up to two feet high in some rooms and four feet high in others during the five-day project.
Lunders said Mario Rangle Construction in Rapid City will provide a professional texture application to all the walls prior to volunteers from Watermark coming March 3 to prime and paint all the downstairs walls. They will also hang doors and do the trim work.
Watermark is a volunteer group that sends workers all across the country to respond to water-caused disasters.
There was discussion about meeting with Fall River County officials who are interested in forming a long-term recovery group like Custer County did following the Aug. 2 flash flood.
“We can speak of how the Custer Ministerial Alliance became the umbrella for this group,” Arthur said, because it is a 50lc3 corporation.
The next meeting of the CCLTRG will be at Custer Senior Center Thursday, March 19, at 1 p.m.

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