March 2005 News	News page		Archive

Flood Relief Partnership: Washington-Morgan Community Action and Solvay Advanced Polymers

In September 2004 Washington-Morgan Community Action experienced devastation from the worst flood that the City of Marietta and Washington County had experienced in 40 years. The Family Health Services Clinic, which provides important services to the community such as prenatal care and WIC (Women, Infants and Children Nutrition Program) to low and moderate-income women, was shut down. The Housing and Transportation Department, which provides important services to the community such as public transportation and weatherization services, was also shut down. The buildings had four feet of water inside and all equipment was surrounded or swept away with the flood. Fortunately, Washington-Morgan Community Action was able to continue to provide services to the community although the services were not located in a central location and were scattered throughout the city and the county. Through the hard work of the staff at the Family Health Services Clinic and Housing and Transportation Department services were resumed to the community out of the building in November of 2004. But the flood left its mark. All services provided were already operating on tight and restricted budgets. The flood clean up and repair tightened the budgets even further.

After undergoing repairs for damage from the September 2004 flood, the Washington-Morgan Community Action Family Health Services Clinic was severely damaged again by the January 2005 flood

In January 2005 the City of Marietta and Washington County experienced another flood. The water levels rose to nearly the same levels as in September and Washington-Morgan Community Action was once again devastated by the flooding. Although with advanced notice Washington-Morgan Community Action was able to remove equipment, the Family Health Services Clinic and the Housing and Transportation Department were again full of water four feet high. All carpet and dry walling that had just been installed was ruined. Washington-Morgan Community Action once again was faced with the dilemma of stopping services, repairing the building and coming up with the funding to do both. As before, the services continued out of different locations but the building had to be repaired.


A Solvay Advanced Polymers employee works to repair the clinic. The contribution to Washington-Morgan Community Action and the community made through the caring efforts of Solvay Advanced Polymers and its staff cannot be emphasized enough.

During the September 2004 flood, Washington-Morgan Community Action was instrumental in distributing needed supplies to the victims of the flood in the City of Marietta and Washington County. Even in the midst of surviving their own devastation, the Washington-Morgan Community Action staff was committed to helping the flood victims. Donations were collected from generous community members and businesses. Items such as bleach, water, mops, personal items, food and clothes poured into the distribution center, a building donated by a local business owner for use by Washington-Morgan Community Action to conduct flood relief efforts.

In January 2005 again, in the midst of devastation suffered at the clinic and the Housing and Transportation Department, Washington-Morgan Community Action staff stepped up to the plate and began setting up a distribution center in a building again donated by a local business owner. As before, the donations poured in. This time though Washington-Morgan Community Action had some help.

Solvay Advanced Polymers was one of the first businesses to respond to the request for flood relief supplies. Solvay Advanced Polymers also went above and beyond the request for supplies by offering both people and transportation to help distribute and deliver the needed supplies to the flood victims. For two days the maintenance department employees from Solvay Advance Polymers went door to door throughout the City of Marietta and Washington County delivering supplies to flood victims who otherwise would have been unable to get the supplies and water they desperately needed. Without the dedication of Solvay Advanced Polymers and its employees, getting the items to the community would have taken much more time, slowing down the recovery period.

As a great surprise to Washington-Morgan Community Action, Solvay Advanced Polymers volunteered to provide the needed construction supplies and labor to restore the dry wall and carpeting to better than the original condition in the clinic. Without the assistance of Solvay Advanced Polymers, Washington-Morgan Community Action would have been much delayed in returning the building to a condition in which services could be provided. Solvay Advanced Polymers contributed to the continuation of services to the community by alleviating the need to spend money on supplies and labor.

While a number of Solvay Advanced Polymer employees were responsible for the wonderful and exceptional assistance described above, Washington-Morgan Community Action would like to especially thank Max Blake, Maintenance Superintendent, Bob Bagley, Maintenance Supervisor, Mark Martin, Maintenance Foreman, and Grover Wallace, Human Resources Director.

The contribution to Washington-Morgan Community Action and the community made possible by Solvay Advanced Polymers through the caring efforts of the company and the staff cannot be emphasized enough.

While a number of Solvay Advanced Polymer employees were responsible for the wonderful and exceptional assistance described above, Washington Morgan Community Action would like to especially thank Max Blake, Maintenance Superintendent (center), Bob Bagley, Maintenance Supervisor (right), Mark Martin, Maintenance Foreman and Grover Wallace, Human Resources Director. The contribution to Washington-Morgan Community Action and the community made possible by Solvay Advanced Polymers by the caring efforts of the company and the staff can not be emphasized enough. Pictured on the left is David Brightbill, Executive Director, Washington-Morgan Community Action.

Flood damage to clinic, January 2005.


Carl Carpenter, Washington-Morgan Community Action maintenance, works to rebuild the Family Health Services Clinic that experienced damage in the September 2004 and January 2005 flooding.


David Brightbill, Washington-Morgan Community Action Executive Director, is interviewed by the local television station in the repaired Family Health Services Clinic.








Solvay Advance Polymers employees work to repair the Family Health Services Clinic that was damaged in the September 2004 and January 2005 flooding.


Clinic after repairs.