In a letter to members of the Diocese, the Rev. Janet Loyd from Church of the Transfiguration in Darrington, thanked all who donated to the relief and recovery efforts following the March Oso mudslide and provided an update on the progress toward recovery, saying, “Through our combined efforts, the Episcopal Church has dispersed approximately $35,000 to date, quiet donations from people and congregations. The generosity has helped so many people up and down Highway 530, especially in the community of Darrington, to move forward. We aren’t there yet, we have many difficult anniversaries and setbacks ahead of us – but we are started on our way.”
While noting it is a tendency of the Episcopal Church to work quietly behind the scenes, Loyd took the opportunity to share some of needs met for those impacted directly and indirectly by the slide. She also expressed gratitude for the freedom to disperse donations as needs developed, adding that many relief providers do not have this flexibility.
Recovery from this event will be a long term project, and donations either to the Transfiguration discretionary account, or through Episcopal Relief and Development and the Diocese of Olympia, have been handled based on the idea that this is a marathon, not a race. Loyd outlined what she sees, from the point of view of those in Darrington, as the three phases to the recovery so far.
During Phase 1, the first days after the slide, the biggest gift was prayer. Offers of of immediate physical help were deeply appreciated, though the nature of the event made them mostly impractical. The books, cards, prayer shawls and squares, quilts, fleece blankets and comfort rocks received were distributed to an appreciative community. Darrington felt very isolated as the slide blocked access to jobs, medical care, and basic services. During this period donations were largely used for gas cards, hotel accommodations, and community funeral dinners. Immediate bills and small-scale replacement needs for homes and businesses were covered as well.
Phase 2 began with a collective sigh of emotional and practical relief when the first by-pass route opened. It also marked the beginning of the town facing the physical reality of the slide on a regular basis. Those living in Darrington must frequently drive through the slide zone, and regularly revisit the places where homes, friends, and family members were lost. Funding during this phase was very diverse; many needs were identified through participation in the Combined Long Term Recovery Group, sometimes called the Unmet Needs Group. Each family or individual requesting help was assigned a caseworker who helped them develop a long term plan for recovery, and then relayed needs to the Unmet Needs Group. Donations have provided: scholarships for affected children, participation in summer camp and other grief related programs, storage containers and replacement vehicles, payment of household and medical bills, insurance and business licensing, small-business employment support, and payment of property taxes and mortgages while people struggled to get back on their feet. The mandate of the Group to care for widows and orphans – and to love our neighbors – was fully addressed through the generosity shared with our community.
Phase 3 began a month ago when the remains of the final victim, Kris, were found and returned to her family. For Darrington, this wasn’t closure, but did mark the beginning of a general readiness to look forward. Needs at this time tend to involve larger amounts as families are making decisions to move, renovate or relocate. The Unmet Needs Group has helped with down payments, rentals, mortgages, and construction costs. Because people are just beginning to realize their needs, money has been set aside for the future, and there will be an ongoing need for funding.
