6:00 PM Tuesday
Good Sam Co-Executive Director Julie Bond shifted into high alert when Montpelier Police Chief Eric Nordenson contacted her late on Tuesday, July 9, 2024. He asked if Good Sam could run an emergency pop-up shelter for folks camping outside while remnants of Hurricane Beryl came through, exactly one year after the 2023 flood that devastated much of Vermont.
Good Sam Seasonal Elks Club Manager Rhonna Gable didn’t hesitate when asked to help at the last minute. Other staff—even those with day jobs—readily joined in. “Many arrived after their regular work day ended and some even stayed through the night, despite having jobs to report to in the morning,” said Julie, who led the emergency evacuation. “They are incredibly caring and dedicated individuals.”
10:00 AM Wednesday
Staff quickly set to work unpacking: setting up cots, making beds, and figuring out where to get food.
(Elks Club emergency shelter preparation. Photo by Julie Bond)
Folks who were tenting in the community began to arrive. Julie described the scene: “There were staff from the winter overflow shelter and guests coming in. It was this sort of sweet reunion where people greeted one another, ‘Hi, it’s so good to see you! How are you doing?’ They hadn’t seen each other for about six weeks since we closed the shelter.”
Throughout the afternoon, Rick, Rhonna, and Good Sam Street Outreach and Health & Safety Officer Osa Busch drove the guest transport van around Montpelier checking on folks camping outside and encouraging them to pack up and come with them.
(L-R: Good Sam Street Outreach and Health & Safety Officer Osa Busch, Co-Executive Director Rick DeAngelis, Montpelier Community Service Officer John Taylor, and Co-Executive Director Julie Bond. Photo Courtesy of the Montpelier Police Department.)
6:00 PM Wednesday
As the weather intensified, Julie, Good Sam Director of Shelters and Facilities Mark LaRouche and Shelter Coordinator Carolyn Fortier, did a final drive. They were looking for one particularly vulnerable person with severe mental health challenges. They found her sitting alone in her tent in the middle of an open field amidst her belongings. “Thankfully, we helped her out of the rain before her tent collapsed in on her. She was super cold so we got the van really hot,” said Julie.
7:00 PM Wednesday
Julie left the Elks Club to go check on the Welcome Center, connect with staff, and monitor the water levels to determine if evacuation would be needed. Earlier in the day, guests had been asked to have to-go bags ready, just in case.
Meanwhile, at Good Sam’s Seminary Street shelter in downtown Barre, Shelter Manager Jonathan Moulin monitored the tributary. City officials, at capacity and unable to help gauge the flooding potential, advised evacuating the guests.
With both vans in use and no other transportation available, 17 guests, accompanied by 2 staff, walked from the shelter up the hill to the Barre Auditorium just after the water level crested and before it reached the streets.
11:00 PM Wednesday
After deciding to evacuate the Seminary Street guests, Mark walked from the Welcome Center across the Barre-Montpelier Road to assess the river. He saw the water moving closer with every wave. About twenty minutes later, the road began to flood, and the official decision to evacuate the Welcome Center was made.
(The Barre-Montpelier Road in front of Welcome Center beginning to flood. Photo courtesy of the Berlin Police Department.)
In the five minutes it took Julie to get the van, road access became nearly impassable. They started loading guests into the van and other staff members’ cars. Julie went door to door to make sure nobody was left behind. “That’s the worst part of it all—making sure everyone is accounted for,” she said.
One guest who had recently had an amputation couldn’t physically get into the van, so EMT transport was arranged. “This was not a good feeling because we were leaving him there—not alone because the police were there—but still outside of our larger group transport,” Julie recalled.
11:15 PM Wednesday
Now, 44 people were at the Elks Club. The far side of the building—separate from the side used during the winter—was opened for the larger group of Welcome Center guests. The ambulance arrived with the last guest.
Without enough cots to go around, Julie, Mark, and others slept directly on the floor. “It was a rough set up and very hard to sleep, but eventually folks settled down for the night,” said Julie. “There are some folks who deeply struggle with a disruption in their routine.”
“Is it okay if I stand by you?” one guest asked Julie. “Of course! You can use me as an anchor point,” Julie responded. “We’re safe; this is a dry space; it’s really secure.” The person who repeatedly thanked Julie, would walk away, and come back ten minutes later. “I fell asleep for a few hours, but I’m sure they were touching base the whole time. It was very meaningful,” Julie said. “I was very proud of their strength and resilience.”
A couple of people remarked in the morning about how they had the best sleep of their lives. “That goes for one of us!” Julie laughed.
6:30 AM Thursday
Overall, everyone was very appreciative, and went with the flow. Welcome Center guests returned home in the morning and folks at the Barre Auditorium were back by 5:00 or 6:00 PM on Thursday.
One person said: “Thank you so much, Julie, for being with us and not leaving us…you could have gone home and didn’t.” Julie replied: “I wouldn’t leave you. You are my family too. We’re all connected—we’re all a community.”
Though some of the roads to Julie’s home and her driveway were washed out, her family was safe. “I really couldn’t have done all of that without knowing that my family was secure,” said Julie. “I had the luxury—so to speak—of being able to focus on caring for the other folks.”
“Our weather, the economy, politics—all displace people. It’s trauma upon trauma, which is tough for those who like routine and those trying to be stable but have deep anxiety,” said Julie. “It’s a hard situation, even trying to do it for 24 hours.”