FernCare Seeks Help Cleaning Up After Flood
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 15, 2014)
Water ran freely for over three hours inside the FernCare Free Clinic last week after a pipe burst due to the cold. An emergency cleanup crew was called in and volunteers also spent hours sopping up water and cleaning up. The quickness of the cleanup spared most of the equipment and prevented permanent damage, yet there are still costs which dig in to the clinic’s ability to help see patients.
“We were pretty lucky,” said FernCare Board President Ann Heler. “There was water from a 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches with the beautiful reception area getting the worst of it. One of the best parts is that it was clean water so a bad situation could have been so much worse. I am also so happy to tell you that no medical equipment or medications were damaged. The water extraction process is done. We are now getting bids for the restoration.” Flooring had to be pulled up and sections cut from the bottoms of walls that were soaked with water.
Volunteers spent Thursday evening disinfecting equipment and cleaning from ceiling to floor in preparation for the weekend’s clinic session.
“John Ulinski, my son Mike Heler and Amy Davisson literally swept out a lot of water the night of the break. David Greylen from Waterwork Plumbing made sure the water was off and was able through friendships get a company to come in very early Thursday to begin the water extraction. It is because we were able to begin the extraction so quickly that we have as little damage as we have. Still, anyone who has had this happen knows there is still a lot to do, repair and replace.”
“We decided that we will not cancel any medical clinic sessions. We will run as scheduled on the 18th and the 23rd. It may not be pretty but it will be safe and functional,” Heler said.
FernCare provides free basic healthcare to a total of 400 patients. During any clinic session they see between 40-50 people. Clinics run two Saturdays a month, and one Thursday evening. They have added mental health services twice a month, and volunteers are available to help their patients sign up for health care programs. Despite healthcare reform, the need for a free clinic is still immense, Heler said, as there are still people with difficulty accessing the system.
The volunteers who keep the free clinic running are hoping that people will come out to their Bowl-A-Thon or donate through their website to ensure that the cleanup costs won’t cut the clinic’s ability to help patients short.
The Bowl-A-Thon takes place Saturday, Feb. 8 at Luxury Lanes 600 E. 9 Mile. Registration is from 1-2pm and Bowling is from 2-5pm. There is a minimum pledge of $60 per person, and teams should be 4-5 people. If you don’t have a team, they can put one together for you. To sign up for the event or just to donate, go to www.ferncare.org.