Blind Association building in Butler flooded, recovery in progress
An employee’s forgotten lunch leftovers may have been the difference between irreversible damage and timely discovery of floodwater at the Blind Association of Butler and Armstrong building.
The Blind Association saw its building flooded on June 5 during a severe thunderstorm that swept through Butler and surrounding locations.
With the offices typically closed on Fridays, if the employee had not remembered the leftovers, the flooding likely would not have been spotted until the next week and staff may have been too late in mitigating the harm, Jennifer Bindernagel, executive director of the Blind Association, said.
The building, which had remained unscathed throughout many past floods, had stormwater coming up through a drain in the kitchen in amounts that seeped in through office spaces.
Approximately an inch of standing water formed in some offices, Bindernagel said. The carpet, as a result, had to be removed. Some of moisture also got sucked up into the drywall, and vinyl tiles were removed from the education room to prevent any additional complications.
“Water is so powerful and can damage property so quickly,” Bindernagel said. “A lot of people in town were impacted.”
The nonprofit has found ways to continue operating to serve its clients through the disruption. Efforts include staff working from home, life-skills trainers and accessibility teachers meeting individual clients in their homes, and doctor’s appointments continuing as usual in other spaces.
Luckily, due to timely discovery, there was no build-up of mold or mildew. Out of Sight Shredding, also located in the same building, was not affected.
“We were able to mitigate it fairly quickly,” Bindernagel said of the damage.
Recovery will be underway for the building, Bindernagel said, once the insurance company, C.W. Howard Insurance, has conducted its investigation. Bindernagel anticipates the recovery to be completed by end of August at the latest.
“Some community partners have reached out to us and offered space for us,” Bindernagel said. “(It) just makes things easy to get through.”
Take the Mental Health Association, which offered its board rooms for the nonprofit’s meetings; or Steele’s Brushes and Ceramics, which similarly offered its back room. The spaces will be used temporarily while the Blind Association is on the wait list to get materials and laborers for the repairs.
The Blind Association was not the only group affected by the flooding.
The Butler Lions Club, which initially funded the building, also works out of the same property. Not only does the club store their fundraising products in the building, but many of the board meetings and events also typically occur in the building.
The club’s bingo dinner for the Blind Association clients, which was scheduled in the building for Tuesday, July 8, has been postponed indefinitely due to the damage.
Connie Ivill, vice president of Butler Lions Club, said that due to the flooding, the organization took a hit to its product sales, which entirely goes toward charitable causes. What has helped the club adapt is outreach and help from the community.
“Out of a tough thing came a good thing,” Ivill said. “Our neighbors and churches reached out to help us out.”
Trinity Lutheran Church, in particular, provided the Butler Lions Club ample space for member meetings.
“That was very good outreach. We really appreciated that,” Ivill said. “This is just another example of how people will come through and help you out.”
In the same vein, Ivill said the Butler Lions Club has, over time, fostered a close, healthy relationship with the Blind Association through working in a shared space.
“They know if they need help, we will be the first ones in with a crew. We cannot wait to go back to the building,” Ivill said.
The club has resumed some of the sales by delivering to local customers and participating at events like the Big Butler Fair.
As for the Blind Association, along with major contribution from other community groups, working through the setback from the flooding has also been easier than expected thanks to collaboration within the Blind Association, Bindernagel said.
“I am just proud of my staff for the way they have pitched in, all the way from administrative bookkeepers figuring out how to print stuff from home, to individuals who work directly with our clients being able to make sure that nobody falls through the cracks. I would say the Blind Association has some of the best employees who make things work,” Bindernagel said.
“We find a way to make things happen.”
