Hi, from An Island In Vermont! September 14, 2011

Still fresh & still shocking three weeks later, Hurricane Irene ripped through parts of Vermont forever changing her landscape & her people's lives.
Living in Stockbridge, Vermont one of the many towns to be so greatly affected by a tropical storm that wreaked overwhelming disaster taking homes, roads, bridges, trees, mountains, cars, trucks, bikes & toys, it's hard to tell what used to be.

The first moments after the storm, local folk were surveying the damage & already organizing ways to rescue folks, move trees out of the way, get necessary medications & find ways to take care of each other. Our people didn't wait for the state, they just got out & started cleaning up & rebuilding or in some cases, making new roads. This was everywhere in Vermont. Folks helping other folks.
Good friends & long time residents of Stockbridge trudged through hell from Rutland Vermont to bring food & supplies to us, all donated by good people in that area. Survivors from the Pittsfield area hiked their way to us though victimized as well, but to be a part of a rescue on Stony Brook Road & to get to those folks who lived more than 5 miles up a road that no longer existed.
The 4wheeler rescue of Helen Chapp, perhaps our oldest resident of Stockbridge, who's 94th Birthday was ushered in by the historical tropical storm on that most memorable Sunday, will go down in history as a remarkable heroic act on the behalf of a very loving & determined Grandson Kevin. Kevin was instrumental in aiding a ton of townspeople over the course of the week, & Helen was then helicoptered out a few hours later & is hoping her road Stony Brook & her bridge to her home will be repaired, before her 95th, I'm sure! &, I still owe her a cinnamon pastry & I'm gonna deliver.

In less than a few days, things that were impossible became possible & immediate progress was seen. I've snapped a ton of photos since evacuation day & tried to journal as much as I can & have quite a collection from my photographic perspective of Hurricane Irene & her aftermath.

Our roads need much repair, much rebuilding, the river changed its course & needs to be redirected in many parts & the task at hand is a large one for the work crews & with not many weeks before the first snowflake of winter falls, before wood is stacked & fuel tanks are filled. 

As of today, September 14 I've only been able to drive to Rochester Vermont. If I had my ol'trusty Jeep Jerry, I'd be able to get to Bethel, where my friend Susie lives, my bank is, & gas is, but it would take about an hour, & usually that's a 10 minute drive & not with a Saab these days!
I last left off with Rick & Blake on our whirlwind trip to Maine August 25. This Friday Rick is hopefully going to be able to drive Rte 4 from Rutland & we will head to Randolph VT! It will take about an hour and a half! Normally, 25 minutes! & that's if there are no mudslides, landslides or any other natural dilemma barring the way & closing the roads AGAIN!!

So, I just want to thank all the people that are helping us rebuild here from our own Town Road Crew, Local Road Crew!, The Maine National Guard who were the first to arrive! as well as the many other Constructionn Crews from Rutland to Essex Junction, along with the engineers, who have been enlisted to help us accomplish this enormous feat. Without all of you, we just wouldn't be!

So everyone, I love you & I'm just happy to be a part of the team!!!

Love,
Heather Lynne