By Chelsea Royer with photos by Chez Photography
As I walked into Home Depot today at 7:00 a.m., the employees were already abuzz as preparations were being made for the flood of volunteers scheduled to arrive in an hour.
Brandy Smith, captain of the Aberdeen Home Depot’s volunteer group, was busy directing team leaders when I approached her. Cheerfully inviting me into her office, she educated me on just how huge this volunteer project was gearing up to be.
The volunteer group, Team Depot, typically takes on a community project once a month, whether that be building wheelchair ramps or assisting a disabled veteran. After the flood hit Grays Harbor this week, people began calling Brandy, asking if there was anything her volunteer crew could do to contribute to the needs of family and friends.
Once it was decided that Team Depot would organize a cleanup crew, the project snowballed as businesses and community members eagerly jumped in to help. Even Team Rubicon, a veteran based disaster relief group, is setting up a temporary office at Home Depot where they will manage the tasks requiring more specific skill sets.
This morning, dozens of people poured in through the front doors of Home Depot to volunteer their time and resources. Matt Raasch brought about twenty Pasha employees with their typical “get-er-done” attitude. Volunteer teams from various Home Depots outside of Grays Harbor clustered in groups while Team Rubicon discussed their own plans.
Then there were the giggly teenagers there, not just to fulfill a community service requirement, but because they wanted to help. One student explained, “A lot of my family lives in South Aberdeen and they suffered a lot of damage, so we want to help. My boyfriend is even coming over from Grayland to help out.”
Retirees, young men, teenagers and business teams chatted merrily while they awaited instruction, creating a positive energy throughout the room.
“We have about 150 Home Depot associates coming out to help with the clean-up,” explained Brandy. “We have church groups, Grays Harbor PUD, Timberland Bank, the City of Aberdeen and City of Hoquiam (and more I can’t remember off the top of my head) volunteering their time.”
“The Hoquiam Dominos Pizza is donating pizza for lunch while church groups have offered to pack sack lunches. We have people coming from Seattle and families bringing their kids out to help. I love my community,” said a beaming Brandy.
“I’ve lived here my whole life and it truly is a community of friends and family where everyone is your neighbor,” Brandy continued. “I know we will bounce back from this. It will just take time.”
Though the turnout has been fantastic, the need for repairs, funds, and helping hands has been overwhelming. So much so, that today’s volunteer group plans to regather Saturday, January 10, Sunday, January 11, and also Saturday, January 17.
“Most of the people we’ll be helping are either elderly, disabled, or low income. Some so much so that they couldn’t afford insurance,” explained Brandy, adding further emphasis to the importance of the volunteer crews.
If you are interested in volunteering, contributing, or are in need of assistance, contact Brandy at 360-533-6661 ext 077 or send her an email.
