Boy Scout troops aid family affected by flood

By Amanda Stewart

Published: May 14, 2008

Phyllis Martin said she couldn’t bear to look through the boxes and piles of pictures, keepsakes and other items that were destroyed when the basement of her Lake Drive house flooded in the heavy rains earlier this week.

Luckily, she didn’t have to.

On Wednesday evening, a small group of Boy Scouts descended on the basement and backyard of the Yorkshire area where Martin and her husband, Glen Martin, live to help the couple with their clean-up efforts.

About 15 Boy Scouts from Troop 1371 and one from Troop 1182 — and about just as many parents — were on hand Wednesday evening to help the Martins clean out their basement, which took in about 5 feet of water during the heavy rains late Sunday night and early Monday morning.

The boys spent a couple of hours hauling water-logged furniture, clothes, framed pictures and canned food out of the Martins’ basement and on to their lawn.

They sorted the items into piles so the Martins could figure out what could be saved and what would have to be thrown out.

Phyllis Martin, who is known around the neighborhood as Fannie Mae, said she didn’t want to look at some of things, including pictures the family has had for more than 30 years.

“They’ll be stuck together and there’s nothing you can do about them,” she said. “Pictures and things like that we can’t replace.”

The Martins have lived at their house in the 7500 block of Lake Drive for about 44 years, they said.

“We’ve been flooded before,” Phyllis Martin said. “But this was bad.”

The Martins said the last time their house flooded badly was in 1972 when Hurricane Agnes came through the area.

Diane Kaufman, whose son is a Boy Scout, said the troop wanted to help as soon as they heard about the damage done to the Martins’ house.

“We’re a close neighborhood and a lot of people come together to help when someone needs it,” Kaufman said.

The Kaufmans live a few houses down from the Martins, but their house is on higher ground and was not flooded, Kaufman said.

When she saw that the Martins, who she described as the “neighborhood grandparents,” needed help, Kaufman sent an e-mail to other troop parents.

A plan came together quickly and the troop members agreed to meet and help the Martins Wednesday, scoutmaster John McLaren said.

“They all rallied together very quickly,” Kaufman said.

The Martins said the whole neighborhood has pitched in to help them recover from the flood; other neighbors have brought the couple food and water.

“I think it’s fantastic,” Phyllis Martin said. “It made me cry.”

Wednesday evening, the Martins stood on the lawn on the side of their house with their dog, Precious, and watched as the boys emptied their basement.

“It’s a whole mess,” Phyllis Martin said. “But they’re all working so hard. It’s wonderful.”

For their part, the Boy Scouts, most of whom ranged in age from 11 to 15 said they were glad to be able to pitch in and help.

“It’s helping to restore an injured family,” said 15-year-old Kevin Minner.

And why did the Boy Scouts want to help? “Why not?” said Vince Dominicis, 15. “We’re Boy Scouts. It’s what we do.”