Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, July 7, 1995 TAG: 9507070084
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MAURICE A. WILLIAMS III STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
On June 1, Sharon and Robert Wood made the final mortgage payment on the building that houses their Garden City hair salon, Unique Technique Beauty & Barber.
Last week, the building was destroyed in floods that ravaged the Southeast Roanoke neighborhood .
The Woods and about 200 other people filled Bible Baptist Church on Garden City Boulevard on Thursday night to tell city, state and federal officials that they need help and to hear what the governments intend to do. They call their group G. C. RAFT: Garden City Residents Against Flooding Tomorrow.
Now that the area has been declared a major disaster area, the Woods are ready to receive aid.
``I would like to know how long it's going to take to get some FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Assistance] money so I can get back into business,'' Sharon Wood said. ``I can't go back in the building. I'm going to have to relocate.''
The Woods bought the building at 2662 Garden City Blvd. seven years ago. Since then, Sharon Wood has worked long hours as a hairdresser.
She was styling a customer's hair June 28 as the water rose out of a creek that parallels Garden City Boulevard.
``My neighbor looked out and saw a wall of water that hit the back of her garage. It came up and just surrounded us,'' Wood said.
The building now has structural damage. The Woods say 3 feet of sewage has backed up into it.
``I've put seven years of my life into that business. Now it's just gone,'' Wood said. ``We need money, and we need it now to start over again.''
The first step in starting over will involve filing damage assessments for homes and property. Organizers distributed forms to residents at the meeting.
``Tonight is to make sure everybody fills out a report,'' said Stefani Reynolds, who lives on Yellow Mountain Road. ``We need to work together with the city.''
Hillard Jones, who has lived in Garden City 46 years, said the recent flooding is nothing new.
``I fought sewer and water the whole 46 years,'' Jones said. He said less rain than last week's can flood the area.
The latest high water flowed past his house. ``If you would've stepped out in it, you would have got carried along with it,'' he said.
``It looks like Garden City has been neglected,'' Jones said. ``Storm drains are needed down here.''
Walt Neely lives on Garden City Boulevard, but didn't have much damage because his family lives on the second floor of an apartment building. Those in the apartment below him weren't as fortunate.
``It flooded to the ceiling,'' Neely said. ``There was no way we could get out.''
The residents finished pumping water from the apartment Wednesday, but Thursday's showers forced them to use the pump again.
Thursday, the area was under a flood watch that kept getting extended. Neely said the rain threatened the creek again. ``It almost came out the banks again,'' he said. ``It's just no place for the water to go.''
When the meeting broke up around 9 p.m., it was raining again.
by CNB