CFMT Flood Response | Category Archive | Stories: In Their Words

In Their Words

The flood of 2010 impacted nearly every corner of our community, testing our individual and community spirit. Here you’ll find stories of flood survivors and others who have been touched by The Community Foundation’s flood relief efforts.

Together, we’ve come a long way. Two years since the flood, thousands of flood victims have been served, and homes and lives rebuilt. The Community Foundation is honored to have been the conduit to connect so much generosity with the needs of our community, and continues to support flood recovery.

At the two-year mark of the flood of 2010, community leaders involved in flood response efforts have reflected on our community’s recovery. The Community Foundation is pleased to share a few of those reflections:

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw:

“We saw first hand, the outpouring of people’s generosity – church groups, passersby and concerned individuals within local communities helping others to clear debris, rebuild and offer their own homes. Companies and individuals donated their hard earned dollars to those in need. We were never more proud to be able to call Nashville home.”

Ed Hardy, Great American Country (GAC) President:

“When Nashville faced the devastation resulting from the 2010 flood, the incredible passionate response from our neighbors and people from many corners was absolutely unbelievable! I’ve lived in 5 other cities and states, and I have never witnessed a community that came together so quickly to help each other. The amazing leadership of our Mayor Karl Dean should be the model for what every city should want in their mayor. When our company, Scripps Networks and our network, Great American Country (GAC) decided to attempt to help raise the awareness and need for additional financial assistance by doing a live national telethon, we partnered with the Nashville Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and Gaylord Entertainment. All 3 of us immediately selected The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee as the single best organization through which to channel and distribute the nearly $2 million in donations. Ellen Lehman and her team, on very short notice, never hesitated to provide every bit of support we needed to make it successful. They are a first class organization that gets the job done.”

Steve Moore, Country Music Association (CMA) Chief Executive Officer:

“The floods of 2010 devastated our community. But out of the ruin emerged hope, and pride surfaced thanks to the hard work and ongoing commitment of thousands of concerned people who gave time, money, and resources to rebuild communities and get families back on their feet. CMA is proud to be a small part of Nashville’s impressive recovery.”

Debbie Turner, NewsChannel 5 General Manager:

“NewsChannel 5 has a history of partnering with The Community Foundation during times of critical events impacting our local community. When the flood hit in 2010, both organizations came together to provide the community a means to donate money to help out flood victims. NewsChannel 5 directed viewers to the Foundation through a telethon as well as ongoing on air messages. The Foundation did the rest – bringing in the money and disbursing it in a very effective manner to make a difference to those in need. It’s a partnership that works to immediately help our community begin to recover.”

By Killie Jones

One of the hardest things about the flood was losing the small, everyday things you take for granted – shoes, spoons, photo albums. Especially the photo albums.

See, one of my three daughters, Brianna, suffers from Leukemia. Before the flood, her diagnosis tore me apart and shocked our family, but it showed our resolve. Her sisters, older brother and I rallied around one another for support in such a trying time. After we found out her diagnosis, we started a scrapbook of Brianna’s journey to recovery. We kept hospital bracelets, strands of hair, whatever was involved so we could look back and remember that we had each other during such an emotional, difficult time. It would also show we could survive anything.

Little did we know our family would be put to the test again so soon.

Our Cheatham County home sits about 70 or so yards from the Cumberland River. Since I’ve lived in this area, I rarely worried about the possibility of it flooding – I was told I didn’t need to. So that first weekend in May 2010 was very nerve-racking, when the steady rain inched the Cumberland into our yard. Finally, as a sleepless night rolled into early Sunday morning it got too dangerous, and I was worried about my family. I grabbed the girls, waded through the water outside and got in the truck, as my son, Killian, got in the other one. During the drive, I had to stop a couple times to see if he’d even be able to drive through the water without stalling the truck. Luckily, we made it to safety. All we could do was wait.

The water eventually washed six feet in our house, busting out windows and flushing out clothes and furniture. When I arrived back at the house Monday morning on a fishing boat, I was only able to retrieve were a few pairs of flip flops and a bag of pictures. Everything else, including Brianna’s scrapbook, was gone or ruined.

Killie Jones, with 3 of her kids, Christianna (at bottom), Brianna and Killian

Despite the life-altering setbacks, my family and I developed tunnel vision when it came to getting back in the house and taking care of Brianna. With everything we’ve been through, I joke with people that I’ve already scheduled my nervous breakdown.

Then we caught a break when many kind, wonderful people came to help, volunteers from all over. People came in droves over the next few months as we began the rebuilding process.

We got help with supplies and invaluable labor as we all went to work to build the house back up. After months of hard work, we finished the last coat of paint and placed our new couch right where we wanted it. My family was back home for Christmas 2010. Yes, we lost shoes, spoons and photo albums in the flood, but the strength of the bond my family has is invaluable.

To the churches and organizations and every last person that helped, I honestly can’t thank you enough.

The Churchwell family pictured here in Spring 2011, after getting back home. Left to right: Kiandra, Broderick, Kia, Jasmine, Brianna and Brod’za

By Kia Churchwell

My new reality is being back home, safe and sound, with my family. This is perfect. That’s what I keep thinking as I adjust to this new normal, sometimes walking through the house at night after the girls are asleep, taking it all in. A lot of perseverance and the help of our community got us here. But 11 months ago, I was facing an unimaginable reality, which I’m not sure I ever got used to, as my husband and I lost our home to the flood.

The weekend of May 1-2, we weren’t flood victims – yet. We watched other neighborhoods flood on the news, and even drove to nearby Shelby Park to see the baseball fields overtaken with water. Sunday evening was my first clue we wouldn’t be so lucky, as neighbors started gathering at the end of our street. It took a few hours to sink in, but when I realized water was slowly, but surely, saturating the ground, I thought we better leave to be safe.

Spending Sunday night in a hotel would be the worst of it, I was sure. Instead, a neighbor called Monday saying, “You have to get home.” That was a tough day. We couldn’t turn on our street and Broderick, my husband, ended up in a canoe, paddling to get to the house.

That’s when I had my 15 minutes. I lost it. I cried at first and then felt numb and alone. Who was going to help us?

After my famous 15 minutes, I just got myself together. This is a task. And that’s really how I spent the next 9 months, until we got home in February 2011, faking it until I made it. There were many hurdles along the way, from our family of six staying in a hotel and moving rooms every few days, to driving all over town for hours each morning to get the kids to school since we rented a place 20 plus minutes from home. And last but not least, we dealt with a crooked contractor, setting us back further.

Brianna, Jasmine and Kiandra in their newly finished room

I’m home now and wouldn’t be here yet if not for the help of the We Are Home program, Salvation Army’s Restore the Dream Center, and The Community Foundation’s grant to Westminster Presbyterian, the group that ultimately rebuilt our home with the support of Community Foundation flood relief funds.

Thanks to The Community Foundation, Westminster’s volunteers, who came from all over the country every week to work on the house, had the tools and many of the supplies they needed, from drywall to insulation, to put our home back together. Paying rent and many other expenses, this meant a lot to us, as anything that could be freed up for our other financial obligations was a huge help.

It’s been quite a year. I’m thankful every day that my family is safe, and we are just back to normal – thanks in large part to the support of this community.

The Community Foundation received this note from a local flood relief grantee organization:

Renee says: Grant money was used in part to build a deck needed for a wheelchair-bound client at this flooded home

On behalf of the Dickson County Help Center, we want to thank The Community Foundation for the flood relief grant money provided to the organization shortly after the May 2010 flood, 100% of which has been used to help families begin the rebuilding process. I also want to take time to thank you for the accountability that you require of agencies receiving grant money.

As a recipient of funding, I know that if an organization doesn’t spend all grant money in accordance with the program it was given for, The Community Foundation holds that organization accountable. You require grantees to provide information documenting how flood relief money has been spent, and to report back in a timely manner. This ensures that recipients are doing with it what they are supposed to do.

I think this is very valuable for donors to know. Personally, I want to know that the money I donate is accounted for and being spent in the manner I intended. I feel confident The Community Foundation has done just that.

Thank you so much for all you do for our community.

Renee Boehm, Assistance Manager with Dickson County Help Center

Dickson, TN 37055