A Calgary area family say they are grateful to an 鈥渁rmy鈥� of volunteers -- many complete strangers -- who are helping them recover after floods caused severe damage to their home last week.
Chlan Grant and her family were among the thousands of Calgarians who were forced to leave their homes on June 20 as floodwaters in rivers rose to unprecedented levels, spilled over the banks and rushed into neighbourhoods.
When they were able to return to their home in the neighbourhood of East Elbow to survey the damage, Grant and her husband discovered that their basement was flooded. There was only an inch of water on the main floor, but it seeped into the drywall and caused major damage.
Since then, the family of six has been trying to salvage all that they can as they race to remove water before it causes further structural damage. But they鈥檙e not doing it by themselves.
In an effort to help, family friends sent a mass email with Grant鈥檚 address and a request for aid. People answered in droves.
鈥淭he volunteers have been extraordinary,鈥� Grant said in an interview with CTVNews.ca. 鈥淭eams of people coming over and saying 鈥榳hat can we do to help?鈥� 鈥� We had like an army of people pulling everything out of our basement.鈥�
Parents with their children, teenagers, and an elderly man heeded the call.
鈥淎s I looked up I saw little kids with a wagon (hauling out debris),鈥� an emotional Grant said. 鈥淚t was very touching.鈥�
When a friend brought over a front-end loader, a makeshift assembly line formed to help remove 20 disposal bins of debris from the home.
鈥淲e had five or six people that were working and then all of sudden, more people just started coming down the street 鈥� they just jumped in. They were complete strangers.
鈥淚t's been amazing,鈥� she added.
With their main floor uninhabitable and the power still shut off, Grant and her family still have a long recovery ahead of them. They are currently staying with friends.
Tens of thousands of Calgarians have been able to return home since being forced to leave during last week鈥檚 floods.
