by Cindy Phillips
updated
Mon, Sep 5, 2011 12:22 PM
We baby boomers are a resilient bunch. Many of us were raised by
parents who survived the Great
Depression. They found ways to feed their families and keep a roof
over their heads with very little.
Many of our grandparents came to America with nothing, but with
determination and perseverance,
they made a life. And though many of us boomers have never had to
suffer the hardships our parents
did, those resilient roots run deep.
I have feverishly followed the events of Hurricane Irene and the
toll it has taken on my "other home."
The miracle of technology has allowed me to watch the events
unfold, albeit in disbelief and awe. The
sheer devastation has been mind-numbing. Thank God for cell phones
and email which have let me stay
in touch with my Killington family. They have tried to describe
what they have endured, but I know I
will never be able to fully comprehend the physical and emotional
tolls it has taken on them. My heart
has ached with them. There are three stories of resilience that
have struck me, not because they are
extreme but because they are people I know and love.
Craig Mosher loves Killington. His property is perched at the
gateway and Craig worked hard to create
a visually appealing pasture to greet people coming to the area.
Visitors and residents alike got used to
seeing Craig's cows and the infamous donkey roaming on his land.
It gave you a welcome home feeling.
But when Irene began to cut her swath of destruction through
Vermont, Craig saw the river swallowing
up his land and his livelihood.
Mosh has always been one of those people who would be the first to
lend a helping hand to anyone in
need. He is one of the good guys, positive attitude, glass is half
full. So it didn't surprise many when he
gathered his troops, forgetting about his own flooding troubles,
and attacked the debris and gaping hole
on Route 4 with equipment and manpower. And though not surprising
to see him do it, you still have to
be awe-struck by the sheer willpower and raw energy that kept him
going for hours on end.
Billy Bauer thought he had the Summit Lodge well-prepared for the
onslaught of Irene. Though about
15 guests were staying in the hotel Saturday night, they would be
heading out on Sunday and he would
need only worry about the building, the dogs and himself. Of
course Irene had other plans, and when
those guests became part of the Killington stranded, Billy knew
they would become his first priority.
With three special and loyal employees sticking around to weather
the storm, they battened down the
hatches and made sure everyone as safe, sound and fed. When the
power went out Sunday night, hope
was dimmed but spirit was not dampened. Luckily the power came
back on Monday and with no escape
routes mapped yet, Bill and his skeleton staff cooked group meals
at breakfast and lunch and took turns
insuring the guests were comfortable. While cooking the Tuesday
evening meal, Bill received word that
his beloved Otto had collapsed in the parking lot. Running to his
side, Bill had only a moment with Otto
in his arms before the big dog expired from an apparent heart
attack. It certainly seemed that despair
was ready to outweigh any fading semblances of hope, but as bad as
it was Bill still knew that others
were worse off than him and he had to remain focused on his guests
and others who needed his help.
Anyone who knows Sandy Guertin knows that she is all about family.
Sandy has many friends in
Killington who provide a great support network, while most of her
family is nearby in Rutland. When the
roads washed out, she realized she was completely cut off from
reaching her family, including her mom.
Her anxiety at this thought was overwhelming, but she was
helpless.
Now the other thing about Sandy that everyone knows is that she
has a work ethic that is unshakable.
So when the sun rose on Monday morning, even though she had been
without power and a shower,
Sandy showed up at the Poulos Insurance office and worked the
entire day, by herself. She was the only
employee who was able to navigate to the office living on this
side of the Mendon Route 4 washout.
She wanted to be sure the office was manned for any customers who
called or showed up needing
assistance. After a full day at the office, she appeared at her
second job at the Summit Lodge to see if
she could lend a hand there as well. As of this writing, Sandy
still has not been able to see her family in
Rutland but was hoping to do so this weekend.
The stories coming out of KTown are all similar. People helping
people, neighbors helping neighbors.
When tragedy strikes this town, all the fences come down and sides
unite for the common good. Many
of the residents of Killington are boomers, and perhaps that plays
a role in the spirit that drives this
community. Whatever it is, it makes me proud to have an
association with incredible people. You are all
in my thoughts and in my heart during this time.
Contact me at cphillipsauthor@yahoo.com
Read my blog at http://lifeasaturkeysandwich.blogspot.com/
Tagged:
Boomers
