After two significant floods in the past 12 months, the Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue was relieved that no water entered their basement during the rainy weekend Steinbach just had.  

Vice President Graham Pollock says they were keeping watch throughout the night to make sure no overland flooding was happening in their yard. 

“We were fine. You know, we didn't get the heavy, heavy rain in a really short time [...] So, because it was just a steady rain that really was absorbed and moved as quickly as it fell, it really wasn't an issue.” 

Still in clean up mode 

Pollock says they are just finishing up the cleanup from the September flood and were grateful to not have to immediately do all that hard work again. 

“The restoration company's been in, and the drywall's all been removed from the basement and the mold abatement and all that kind of stuff that they have to do; the chemical treatments and measuring the moisture in the walls and all that has been done.” 

Their next steps will include replacing their furnace and HVAC system, as well as putting up drywall and shelving, and then restocking the food and other items that were destroyed under 7 feet of water. 

A community known for generosity 

Pollock says the September flood cost the animal rescue $25, 000.00 out of pocket for their insurance deposit.  

“It's a huge expense. [...] For any not-for-profit that operates the way we do; to write a check for $25,000 that you don't normally, you've not budgeted for, is a big hit.” 

Without skipping a beat, Pollock notes the generosity they’ve experienced from the community. 

“We live in a community and the surrounding area, that's known for its generosity and stepping up to the forefront when the need arises. And [it] doesn't matter whether it was us or whether it was another not-for-profit organization in town, they would have stepped up.” 

Part of the generosity the animal rescue experienced was the chance to sell merchandise at the Manitoba Moose intersquad game on Sunday, as well as a donation of half of the proceeds from the game. Pollock notes cheerfully,  

“We're really pleased that the Pistons gave us this opportunity. It was terrific. As we know, I mean, they're strong community players to begin with. Pardon the pun, ‘players’ but they are strong in the community. And so, this is not surprising, but it's very appreciated for sure.” 

Avoiding future flooding 

Pollock goes on to say that the animal rescue is making the necessary changes to their landscaping, in order to avoid future flooding.  

"We are taking some steps now to ensure that this doesn't happen again. We're taking some steps in our landscaping and in the window wells area, which is where the water comes in. We're raising everything there and redoing them all in concrete. So hopefully this is not going to happen anymore to our building.”  

A happy ending to a tumultuous year, and nerve-wracking weekend forecast.  

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