Longtime Mid Valley resident Mildred Goe called last week with this story to share:
Earlier this month, while at home, she heard “what sounded like a pop, like something blew off, and I heard rushing water,” she said. “I dashed into my laundry room and water was shooting up towards the ceiling behind the washing machine.”
With her son and daughter-in-law out of town, she tried to look up various phone numbers for help, but with macular degeneration, Goe had a hard time finding the information she needed.
That’s when she decided to call 9-1-1. And almost immediately, Sheriff’s Officer Mike Renault was at the door. “He said he was in the area and heard on the scanner that I had an emergency,” she said. “And I said, ‘I do!’”
Soon after, Fire Chief Greg Borton, Randy Mix, Steve Smith and Dwight Moe from the Wy’east Fire District arrived on the scene. By this time, more than an inch of water covered the laundry room floor and was flowing into the kitchen.
After turning off the water (“a hose that connects to the water faucet had exploded, so the hose was broken and the water was rushing out”), one of the firemen went back to the station to get a special water vacuum, “and I gave them all the towels I could find and they were crawling around and mopping up everything,” Goe said.
Someone — and she wishes she could remember who — went to Hood River Supply to buy another hose connection for the washing machine, and then put it back together.
“They wouldn’t let me pay for it,” she said. “They got all the water out of the laundry room and kitchen, and when they left I had no loss, no damage, no nothing. I was just very fortunate. The response to the 9-1-1 call was fantastic. I was so stressed!”
To Renault, Borton, Mix, Smith and Moe, Goe said, “Thank you for responding so quickly! I want them to know I was so relieved, and to think when they left I had no damage at all. It was a blessing.”
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Other Mid Valley news for the week:
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Applications for the upcoming Blossom Craft Show, April 19-20 at the Hood River County Fairgrounds, are available online at hoodriverfair.org.
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Mid Valley Elementary SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) is always looking for volunteers. Readers are needed from 3:30-4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Those interested can call Mid Valley at 541-354-1691 for more info on how to get started. (Readers are also needed at Westside and May Street elementary schools.)
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Mid Valley Friday Skate Nights are back in session, and the PTO needs volunteers to help at both the 5:30-6:30 and 6:45-7:45 p.m. sessions. They are especially in need of someone to do skate maintenance as lots of pairs need fixing. Call the school at the number above for more info.
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Cub Scout 378 members have been busy baking cakes for Wednesday’s annual “cake auction” fundraiser, 6:30 p.m. at Mid Valley Elementary School.
The community is welcome to come and bid on the imaginative baked goods created by the youngsters.
Proceeds go to the scholarship fund for summer camping experiences. Greg Borton will serve as auctioneer.
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Mid-Columbia Habitat for Humanity is currently accepting applications from low-income applicants wanting to start on the path to ownership of a home to be built in Lyle, WA. Applications will be accepted through Friday, Feb. 28.
Families are selected based on their need for housing, their ability to make monthly payments and their willingness to dedicate 500 hours of “sweat equity” working side by side with other volunteers on the construction of their house. Interested families who would like to receive an application can go to the Mid-Columbia website www.midcolumbia-habitat.org.
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