Vet volunteers help flood victims
J.C. Mendyka just wants to give back to his home state of Pennsylvania.
Mendyka, is the Central Pennsylvania District Coordinator of Team Rubicon, an organization consisting of military veterans and others who provide disaster relief.
“As veterans we're all healing, and coming into a place like Butler, Pennsylvania, and helping people heal in their time of need really helps us heal as veterans,” Mendyka said.
Mendyka was one of several who helped prepare for Team Rubicon's initial assessment Tuesday of the areas affected by last week's flooding on the west side of Butler.
Jonah Thompson, the organization's Pennsylvania field operations coordinator, said the goal for Tuesday was to assess the damage, and then spend the rest of the week fixing that damage.
“Our main focus will be mucking out (mud from) those basements for folks that are otherwise going to start losing their homes,” Thompson said.
Part of the aim of the water and mud cleanup is to prevent mold from spreading in the home. Jim Knights, an Adams Township member and U.S. Coast Guard veteran, said another goal will be to cut and remove tree branches from creeks.
“(The affected people) are in trouble,” Knights said. “Some of them, it's the worst day of their lives. We're here to alleviate their distress as much as we can. We can't perform miracles, but we can do something.”
Michelle Ufner, a Butler resident and district coordinator for Team Rubicon, said once she heard about the flood she sent an email up the organization's chain of command to request aid.
She said within 24 hours Team Rubicon was already making plans to help out. One person who showed up when Team Rubicon arrived Tuesday was Josh Strayer of Pittsburgh.
Strayer, a paramedic, is not a military veteran but is glad he's still able to be part of Team Rubicon.
“I just want to help people,” Strayer said. “It's one of the few organizations where you can get signed up, start training and get your hands dirty, and actually get out in the field and start (working).”
Also one of the first to arrive were Cheryl Fulton of Lancaster County, and Loretta Kendall of McDonald, Washington County.
Mendyka was a telecommunications planner in the Army, and he applies those skills when doing disaster relief.
“That ever-present requirement to deal with this emergency situation is much like you have in the military,” he said. “(It includes) understanding the full concept of the mission, and not just one, narrow scope.”
