Avella schools, Canonsburg church dealing with flood damage
Water runs down a stairwell in the basement of Canonsburg United Presbyterian Church.
The inside of the Avella High School library was covered with plastic after a weekend rainstorm overwhelmed the roof with water and caused flooding in some areas.
A view of damaged items stored in the basement of Canonsburg United Presbyterian Church
A crew from Disaster Restoration Services was at Avella High School Wednesday to repair and install ceiling infrastructure after a weekend downpour destroyed nearly $25,000 worth of electronics and library equipment.
Avella Superintendent Cyril Walther holds a destroyed Chromebook laptop computer, still dripping from a deluge of water in the high school last weekend.
Flooding from heavy rainstorms last weekend cost both Avella Area School District and Canonsburg United Presbyterian Church thousands of dollars in lost equipment and donated items.
At Avella High School, about $25,000 worth of computers, printers and other equipment were destroyed as a deluge of rain poured in through the library ceiling.
“We’ve been in the process of upgrading our heating and air conditioning units on the roof. So certain areas that were exposed, plywood and plastic was placed over them to prevent the elements from getting in. But with the hard wind and rain, many of the plywood boards snapped under the weight and pressure of it all,” said Superintendent Cyril Walther. “Nearly 100 Chromebook computers, printers and other devices just got soaked. A copy room and the art room in the elementary school also received damage, and we lost some supplies there as well.”
Cleanup crews were making repairs Wednesday and Walther said the school is still on track to open for its first day of classes Aug. 29.
“We have our insurance appraisers here and we’ll be checking for mold and other things since this happened,” Walther said.
At Canonsburg United Presbyterian Church, the weekend weather forced a flood of water into the basement, destroying 90 percent of the donated toys and gifts the Canonsburg-Houston Minsterial Toy Chest program was collecting for Christmas.
“Bicycles, books, all sorts of toys donated right after Christmastime last year were lost,” said spokeswoman Stephanie Woodin.
“We estimate a loss of at least $4,000 in items,” said Toy Chest coordinator Lynlee Caliguri, “and though I had seen pictures of various rooms in the flood, it didn’t prepare me for what I saw destroyed – all the accumulated toys from last year.”
Five feet of water flooded the basement rooms, ruining stuffed animals, games and items also used by Cub Scouts and Vacation Bible School students, according to Caliguri.
“We will just have to start building our inventory again. For over 20 years, the challenge of providing toys for children at Christmas through the Toy Chest program has been met in our community. Every year, residents, organizations, businesses and churches (have donated) toys and money to ensure many happy smiles on Christmas morning. I believe our community will meet this challenge again this year,” Caliguri said.
Those who wish to donate can make checks payable to Canonsburg-Houston Ministerial Toy Chest and sent to Canonsburg U.P. Church, 112 W. Pike Street, Canonsburg PA 15317.
“Folks can make a financial donation, or an actual donation of a toy of their choice could be brought to the church,” Woodin said.